Choices
by Ebonyswanne
Summary: Part 1.'Tangled web of Life series'.Swan/Eagle. Jun has a secret that make that could tear apart her relationship with Ken and put the team in danger if they get called to active duty again. But will she make the right Choice?
1. Chapter 1

_This is the first story in a three part series called 'A tangled Web Of Life.'_

Chapter 1

The warm late afternoon sun streamed into the small bedroom straight into her eyes causing Jun to roll onto her side. Thrusting herself up into a half sitting position and resting her head in the palm of her hand she observed her lover of almost six months as he lay there on his stomach sleeping soundly as a little baby.

The war with Galactor had ended, with Berg Katse's suicide and the loss of Joe. They grieved for him together. Ken's quietness in his grief actually allowed her to cry freely on his shoulder, she knew he cried for the loss of brother in private, but that was just Ken's way. Being together seemed to soften the blow of Joe's untimely death.

She wouldn't have anticipated the love affair between her and Ken could happen so easily and so fast. It just seemed so natural, like breathing for them, from the first time he held her that they would become lovers…Maybe that's because they had known each other for so long.

Smiling happily she watching him move slightly in his sleep, lying on his stomach he began murmuring softly under his breath she reached out and ran her fingers down his spine. His relaxed toned muscles flinching from her gentle touch making him smile lazily in his sleep.

"…My sweet Jun." He said drowsily. Lifting his head slightly off the pillow- a lock of dark brown messy hair fell into his eyes, gently she flicked it away so she could gaze into his intense blue eyes that softened instantly when she smiled.

"I love these afternoons with you Ken." She said affectionately moving so she could rest her head on his back letting her long hair fall softly around him.

"So do I…making love to you all afternoon like this is paradise." Ken turned on his side so he could look into eyes and touch her cheek with his hand. She nuzzled into his palm turning her face enough so she could kiss the soft skin inside of it.

Ken's eyes watched her filled with passion. "Can we stay here forever…?" The tenderness in his voice sent a warm tingling sensation through her whole being. "Why don't we Jun…stay in each others arms forever…I love you so much…" He whispered moving his hand behind the base of her head, weaving his fingers through her long locks he pulled her towards him. Capturing her lips his and drawing her back down onto the bed into his loving embrace, shifting his weight over her she allowed his to continue his caresses.

"I love you…" She breathed the words in between kisses. "I want to stay here too Ken…forever." She signed softly knowing she was due back at the Snack J soon. She'd promised Jinpei he could have the night off.

"How about you stay at my place tonight?" She murmured, while he began to work his way down her body again leaving hot wet kissed on her breasts.

"Sounds good to me…I'll get one mail run in and then…" He let the words hang, she moaned softly from the way his magical touch worked on her making her want him inside of her so much it hurt from the pleasure his touch promised to give.

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A few hours later standing in the Snack J not ever Jinpei's teasing could wipe the grin from her face.

"Sis you're spending so much time with Aniki these days I think you should move in with him." Jinpei's sly grin made her flick the tea towel in her at him playfully.

"We like it just the way it is at the moment." Jun said merrily, picking up another out of the dishwasher and wiping off the wet patches that always seemed to be left on them.

"Ryu will be here soon…it looks like a good night for fishing." Jinpei jumped over the counter at the sound of the Ryu's new van pulling up out the front of the Snack J.

In minutes the Owl walked through the door in his casual manner waving to her "Hi Jun! " he said just as Jinpei ran towards him almost knocking him over in his haste to get out of the Snack J for the night.

"Looks like were outta here." Ryu said looking at her apologetically.

"It's alright, Ken will be here soon." She said still beaming from the thought running through here head from the wonderful afternoon they had spent together. She began cleaning off the counter humming while some new customers walked through the door.

"Sis, try not to burn to much of the orders tonight…" Jinpei whispered. "Better still let Aniki cook…"

Jun rolled her eyes at Jinpei." Ken has to pay off his tab somehow…"

"I thought since you and Aniki are now-"Jinpei started to tease her again.

"Jinpei! That's none of your business." She chastised him while she finished cleaning the bench.

"Well sis since it's none of my business, when he stays over here for the night can you keep the noise down." Jinpei smirked. Jun felt the heat of deep blush rise to her cheeks.

Ryu shuffled his feet obviously embarrassed by the conversation. "Ahhh…Jin…the fish are waiting for us, so lets go, Bye Jun…"

"Bye Ryu…Bye Jinpei." She waved to them as they walked out the door letting bang shut behind them.

Ken walked in just after they walked out. "I see it's another night of fishing…" He said walking behind the counter and giving her a kiss on the cheek before going to fridge and helping himself to a soda. Ken rarely showed her a lot of affection in public, preferring to show it more in private.

"So where do you want me tonight…" Smiling as he looked out the back. "Since Jin's not here I guess I'm cooking."

Jun nodded winking at him while she picked up her order pad she headed out to the tables of patrons waiting for her to take their food and drink orders. The night looked promising from the amount of people spilling through the doors. The Snack had become popular since she had begun opening on a regular basis.

Jun got busy with taking orders. Ken got busy cooking, she found in the time since the war had finished that Ken could actually cook very well. Generally he chose not to, since he really didn't have a passion for it.

She hardly saw him all night, only to let him know new orders and take the ones he prepared out to her customers.

She knew she glowed when he was around- joking and laughing as they worked and they had fun working the bar and grill together on nights Jinpei decided he wanted time out to go fishing with Ryu.

At one point Jun pulled out her guitar when the orders had settled down, and there were fewer patrons to look after, Ken came out to front to serve drinks and she sang and played for the remaining customers. She could feel his eyes on her while she sang in her soprano voice, and she sang her all her love songs secretly just for him.

Finally the last customer walked out the door, Jun wanted to just put her feet up and relax but there were things that needed to be done before they could call it a night.

Ken cleaned the kitchen and she cleaned the dinner area of the snack J.

"Jun…lets call it a night." Ken said ducking his head out the door of the kitchen, she finally agreed after cleaning the last table and putting the chairs back in place.

Switching off the down lights to the restaurant area they made their way up the stairs to the loft.

Ken switched on the TV and put a DVD into the player and sat down on the couch inviting her to join him.

Relaxing into his arms Jun couldn't think of any place she'd rather be than right here and now, snuggled up close to him dozing while they watch a movie together. There wasn't a need for words- during the movie Ken tightened his arms around her, kissing the top of her head while she drifted off to sleep. Eventually she felt herself being picked up in his arms. He carried her to her bed, she felt him lay her down gently on the cool sheets, pulling off her shoes and jeans and then he cuddled up close drawing her into his embrace and they both drifted into a peaceful sleep…

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When Jun finally woke up the next morning Ken had already left, she felt the movement of the bed as he woke up at dawn, quietly putting his clothes and shoes he kissed her lightly before he left to return to the airfield to do the rest of his mail run.

A feeling of exhaustion washed over her as she sat up in bed. Yawning loudly, she couldn't fathom why she had been feeling tired when she woke up of a morning and at times throughout the day for the past week.

Ken had just said she'd been pushing herself too hard at the Snack J to make the most out of the busy period and the increasing business. That's when he had ordered her the previous day to have time off and spent it with him.

She looked at the time and forced her body to move out of the bed and into the shower. The warm rush of water woke her up more and she let the warmth seep into her tired body, eventually turning of the water she found a towel and dried her hair while she looked for something to wear.

A dilemma she hadn't face in years of the war when they wore their uniforms constantly so they could change into Birdstyle instantly.

Pulling out a pair of jeans and a simple white T-shirt and throwing them on Jun hurried downstairs to open up the Snack J to start the day's trade. Breakfast she could handle with the cooking, simple bacon and eggs and cereals on the menu made it easier for her to cook.

The bright crisp day outside tempted her to close up for the morning and get on her bike and take a packed lunch and ride along the coastal roads and enjoy the beautiful views just outside of Utoland city. Sighing she knew she had to make the most of the business, with winter coming and the university students coming in for breakfast before they started classes and then they left for holidays in a few weeks.

The morning went smoothly for her and the busyness made took her mind of the touch of nausea that came over her late in the morning. Now she knew she was working to hard. She remembered she had forgotten to eat breakfast, that's why she felt nauseous. Grabbing a bit of toast she quickly took a few bites out of it as Jinpei walked through the door.

"Good afternoon Sis…" He called out her while showing her his catch from the night before. "Ryu had things to do like catch up on sleep- he said he'd drop in later."

She looked at him while she stuffed the piece of toast into her mouth; hunger began replacing the nauseous feeling. She walked over and looked at the silvery fish sitting on her kitchen bench.

"How do you plan to cook them?" She asked him while he began to gut them.

"I dunno yet, would you and Aniki like to have them with me for dinner tonight? Ryu will be back then…" He looked at her expectantly how could she say no.

"Sure, I'll call Ken later and see if he's around." She went back to cooking another piece of toast.

"Sure he'll be around sis- every spare moment he has he spends it with you…" Jinpei winked teasingly but she could see her relationship with Ken made him happy. Jinpei always looked up to Ken.

"Not always, he likes to go flying too." She said while she buttered the toast and spread some honey onto it.

"That's when he calls you and asks if you want to come with him…as I said sis every chance he gets…" Jinpei said, he put the fish into the fridge and looked out the front of the Snack J.

"Sis, it looks like the lunch rush is starting." He indicated to the people walking through the door.

"It looks like your right…" Once again she picked up her order book and headed out to serve the new patrons sitting at the tables.

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Ken and Ryu arrived at the same time very late in the afternoon, Jun and Jinpei had chosen to close the Bar and Grill for a few hours before the next rush so they could all enjoy sometime together. The three of them waited for Jinpei to cook up the catch from the previous nights fishing trip.

"Lemon pepper in light crumb with salad." Chef Swallow announced proudly bringing out the freshly cooked fish on a tray.

Jun opened up a bottle of white wine and filled the three glasses, pouring lemonade into Jinpei's wine glass.

The smell of the fish suddenly made her feel off again, Jun pushed the feeling aside and decided she needed to make time to eat more since she skipped lunch that day.

She picked at her fish trying to make herself eat it. Jinpei looked at her disappointment in his young eyes. "Sis…you're not hungry?"

"Oh, I ate a big lunch." She lied, flippantly trying to make it look like she had an appetite for the fish and salad. Jinpei loved to share his catch with her, and usually she praised him on catching such a big fish, the last thing she wanted was a sulky Swallow for days on end.

Ken raised an eyebrow but he didn't say anything, Ryu was too busy picking out the fish bones to notice.

Ken watched her from across the table. "Jun… why don't you close for the night?"

"I can't Ken…the business is doing so well." She looked over at her brother.

Jinpei agreed. "It's the first time we're actually making money Aniki."

"In the last six months neither of you have had any real time off." Ken pointed out.

"Yeah," Ryu agreed looking at Jinpei."I have ta drag you away from here."

"Jun…would you like to have a few days…We can take a short holiday." He suggested casually. She knew he had something in mind.

"Go ahead Sis…We didn't win the war to not have time to enjoy our freedom." Jinpei pointed out.

Jun knew he was right.

"Yes Ken…so where are we going?" she asked moving in closer to him.

"That's a surprise." He grinned putting an arm around her waist and pulling her in closer to him. "Just make sure you pack that red bikini."

Jun felt the warm of his affection flow into her, smiling she agreed, tomorrow morning the Snack J would close for a few days for the first time in months.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Jun snuggled closely into Ken's arms while he navigated the small plane through the clouds, arranging her white casual halter neck dress away from his controls she let herself enjoy the thrill of watching him guiding it gracefully towards a small runway on an Island in the Caribbean always impressed her no matter how many times she had seen him fly his jet when they had been fighting against Galactor.

"The hut is only a few minutes from here." He said as they taxied down the small runway, pulling up close to a small shed. A young islander stepped out of the shed and walked towards the light plane.

Ken opened the top canapé of the plane, Jun jumped over the side and Ken followed her.

"Yello there.Da names Jimmy." The Islander casually said. Handing her a basket of food and smiling broadly. "I hope ya enjoy ya stay here."

"I know I will Jimmy," She smiled taking in the tropical warmth of the day while Ken unpacked a few extra bags from the Cessna she began to feel better already she held out her hand to him and introduced herself and pointed to Ken who turned around and smiled holding the bags. "Hi," He said while Jun picked up her wide brimmed hat she had put into the luggage hold since he hinted that she'd need a bikini for this holiday.

Jimmy guided through a small path to a hut close to the beach. "All ya needs are here…including some food more fruit and fresh water from da tank." He grinned showing stained teeth through his friendly smile. "Snorkelling gear in da hut is fer yer use…da reef is beautiful at dis time of year."

"I hope ya enjoy ya stay on our small Island. I'm makin my way back to dat Island…be back in a few days." He indicated to the main Island far of in the distance.

Ken extended his hand and shook Jimmy's thanking him for leasing the hut. "Dats Ok Ken, ya mail delivery helps da community…"He said before making his way back down the path.

"Ken this place is so beautiful," She said planting a kiss on his lips and making him drop the bags she pulled him along behind her down to the white beach towards the water gently lapping at the sand.

Looking back at Ken she watched him transform before her eyes. He let his face relax and his blue eyes began to sparkle like the ocean before them.

Stopping just before the waters edge he made her turn with the pull of his hand on hers and tightened his arms around her waist.

"I see you like my choice of destination." He murmured kissing her softly making her collapse into his arms draping her arms around his neck the kiss deepened, his hands exploring her bare back and the hem of the light cotton dress gently moving with the sea breeze.

"You bet I do…" She said softly drawing away enough so he held her close while they gazed out at the magnificent view before them.

"Paradise…" Ken's lips drew into a warm smile, his eyes filled with love for her. She didn't need to say anything- it was like he already knew how she felt.

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For the next two days they swam and snorkelled in the in the reef, make love on the soft white sandy beach and simply enjoyed the isolation that the Island offered them.

On the last night Jun laid in Ken's arms on the makeshift bed set up in the open room of the shack." We could stay in this paradise place forever." She said dreamily, Ken tightened his arms around her.

"I wish we could Jun, sometimes I just want to live away from the rest of the world…" Ken's words trailed off into the night air.

"We're lucky, aren't we?" She said turning to face him." Joe never-"

She stopped when she saw the pain flint across Ken's eyes. He could be so guarded with his emotions. Keep a cool demeanour under immense pressure. Only when something hit a personal core in him did it spill over in uncontrolled waves.

"I know he never had the chance to enjoy peace." Ken said a hint of grief evident in his voice. "I don't if he really would have liked it that much, Joe was always…" Ken stopped for a minute lost in thought about his brother who he missed so much. "Did he talk to you Jun…towards the end." Ken asked softly.

Jun looked away, he did, it was a conversation she didn't want to really share with Ken.

"Yes..." She finally answered; Joe told her one day that she meant more to him than a friend. She told him she couldn't return those feelings…then he died a week later.

"I know how he felt about you…even though he never showed it outwardly." Ken said suddenly. Jun looked deeply into his seeing the question he dared not to ask reflecting in his blue eyes.

"Ken you're the one I love…the only man I have always loved." She leaned in and kissed him sincerely.

"I know, I guess I wondered…" She put a finger to his lips." Why would you even question it?"

Ken smiled warmly. "I don't Jun- I just want you-"

"And you have me…" She barley whispered the words catching his bottom lip with hers in a soft kiss. "Why did you avoid it for so long?" She asked. This was a conversation that for some reason they'd never had before.

"I don't know…" He said studying her face like he was seeing her for the first time. "Saving the world might have had something to do with it."

This brought out a small laugh from her. "We were both focused on that…"

"…We both still are." He said sitting up a bit more. "The team hasn't been officially disbanded…and Dr.Nambu is looking into Intel about Galactor leaders forming terrorist groups."

He looked like he was about to confess something. "I'm flying out in a few days to investigate some of the reports…"

"Why is he sending just you?" Jun frowned slightly.

Ken put his arm around her waist, and pulled up the bed sheet. "It's easier with a single plane not to look suspicious, if we go in with the God Phoenix-"

"Then if the Intel's right we could start something that could cause more problems than its worth and lose any advantage we might have had other wise." She finished for him.

A knowing smile came to his lips. "Very perceptive of you Jun, this is why your so right for me…"

"You better believe it Gatchaman." She pushed him back onto the bed, straddling him with her thighs, leaning forward and kissing him harder this time in a way that told him what she expected from him.

"Anything for the Swan…" He said as the flame of passion ignited between them and they made the most of their last night alone on the Island together.

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All too soon they were boarding the Cessna to make the trip back to Utoland.

"Can we do this again?" she asked nuzzling his neck with her nose just after take off feeling deliriously happy from the few days away from the real world.

"Why not, you name the date and I'll find a way to make it happen." Ken said turning the plane around to head in the right direction.

She relaxed back onto his chest resting her head in the nap of his neck and she let herself drift into a doze, the tiredness she had been feeling hadn't lifted totally but the short break made it less of a burden.

I wondered why peace time was having this effect on me she thought absently, from the corner of her eye she could see Ken smiling. He looked happy, and she never wanted this to end.

But with the ISO still investigating possible Galactor activity she had begun to think this could all be only a temporary laps in time during a war that my not be finished yet. Still, with Katse dead and Sosai X gone, the centre of power broken she figured they couldn't emerge as a threat like they were in the past.

"Ken what will happen to us if Galactor strikes again?" Her tone told him it was a serious question.

"Then we will be reactivated again. It won't be the same without Joe there…only four of us to hold back a monster." Ken's solemn tone made her think harder about their future together.

"Would we still be…still be together if that happens?" She needed to know, suddenly she had to know.

"Jun, I don't think there is anything in this world that could tear us apart…We have to fight an oppressor, if it means planning a future like marriage and family has to be put on hold. The so be it." Ken said kissing her hair while he lined up the plane to land at the airfield." Lucky for us we haven't planned anything that serious yet…I hope we can soon."

She knew what he was talking about- Ken had told her once the only thing that would make him quit the team totally was if they started a family, so they took precautions against it ever happening at this point in their life.

Ken taxied the plane to a stop close to the hanger, Jun jumped out as soon as it slowed down. She waited for him to join her and she made her way back into the shack.

"I'll drop you off at the Snack J tonight. I have to leave in the morning to do the work Dr.Nambu allocated for me. Hopefully I'll be back in a few days, but it could be up to three weeks. I'll be in touch with you when I can." He said walking over and holding her tightly in his arms. "Jun, I'm missing you already…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The first week of Ken's absence Jun keep herself busy running the snack J he managed to call her on a land line earlier in the week, the call lasted only minutes, since it had been a coin run phone somewhere desolate and the line kept cutting out. She missed her bracelet for making contact. Dr.Nambu had then hand them in to do up grades on them.

Still she couldn't shake the feeling of being constantly tired, and the smell of fish made her feel sick. Jun had begun to worry she'd picked up a tropical bug while she was on holidays with Ken.

So she decided to step out to the pharmacy to see if they had anything for the tiredness at least.

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Walking into the Pharmacy Jun began looking at the various drugs on the shelves. She looked at the pick-me-up drinks in the vitamin section, she'd tried them but they didn't seem to be working very well.

Moving on her eye caught the women's sanitary section. This made her frown and the she haltered. "When was the last time she needed those? She mused. She's had a very short period when she finished the last lot of contraceptive pills, the period had been very light and it only lasted a day. Still it was a cycle she thought. The home pregnancy tests were close by the sanitary items.

Jun's feet seem to automatically go over and she picked up a packet containing two of the tests. She read the blurb on the back-_99 guaranteed accurate result in minutes positive or negative._ She put it back on the shelf and turned and walked out of the shop. She wouldn't believe that was the reason for her tiredness.

Jun was half way back to the Snack J when an overwhelming nausea took over her; she hurried into a fast food outlets toilet and threw up. Standing in the cubical feeling another wave wash over her of nausea Jun thought about the pregnancy test again. This had been happening since she got back from her holiday with Ken.

After wiping her mouth and rinsing out the vile taste of vomit she made her way back to the Pharmacy, walking quickly to the women's section again she picked up the packet, and headed for the counter. Jun kept telling herself she was only doing the test to rule it out as reason for her illness.

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Racing inside the open door of the Snack J Jun managed to avoid Jinpei caught a glimpse of in the kitchen, she just didn't know if she could handle him until she ruled out the very thing she dared not to even admit to herself.

She followed the instructions and watched as the urine made its way across the test pad of the white stick in front of her.

Nerves began to build up inside of her. She began pacing her bathroom while she waited for the result. Twice she went to go and see what it was, and twice she backed away from it like it could explode if she even glances at the view section.

Finally she found walked over and looked at it, she felt her blood drain from her face she saw two blue lines that indicated positive. Jun collapsed onto the bathroom floor a myriad of emotions ran through her. Her fingers trembled so much she dropped the test onto the floor.

It had to be wrong! She thought so she took out the second test and did it again, a few minutes later she stared at the same result. _Positive_. She couldn't deny it and her world began to spin around her.

How did this happen? She thought, a lump rising to her throat while she put hand over her mouth back while she fought back numb tears.

A knock on the bathroom door jolted her out of her state of shock.

"Yes." she said trying to keep her voice even.

"Sis, what's taking you so long in there?" Jinpei sighed. "Aniki is on the phone…"

She managed to find her voice. "Ahhh…yeah Jinpei I'll be just a minute." Her heart pounding wildly Jun picked up the tests and the packaging and jammed them into a paper bag to throw it into her room so Jinpei couldn't find it.

She put her hand on the door knob, she wasn't ready to speak to Ken, not yet she had to find the right words. Jun closed her eyes for a moment as she turned the handle to leave the room and take Ken's call.

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Ken pulled in his light rain coat tighter. The drizzling rain didn't really bother him that much, nor did colder climate. But being away from Jun he did long to hear her voice and feel her warm touch. He missed her, and he never felt he could be like that. Total dedication to duty didn't have the same focus for him like it did when they were active as a team.

In the months since they destroyed Galactors headquarters he discovered a side of himself that he thought laid buried under layers of controlled emotions. Jun broke through them in a matter of weeks with her gentle touch and loving eyes, and how easy he found it to be with her.

He put another coin in the pay phone, the past week had been nothing but dead ends, he'd hired a car from funds Dr.Nambu gave him and he'd pulled up to on the side of the road.

"Ken," Jun soft voice came through the line, the rain had been cold, and Jun's voice warmed his heart.

"Jun, how are you." He asked trying not to shout into the static line.

"Fine and you…" She said. Her voice sounded hollow, like she was forcing herself to talk to him.

"Things are going slow- it looks like I'll need another week." He dreaded saying that to her, knowing he promised to be home the phone call in a few days.

"Oh…ahhh." She hesitated. Ken's ears sharpened to her tone. She wasn't happy about something.

"Jun is everything Okay there." He said trying to figure out why she sounded do odd.

"Everything's fine Ken…I've just been working from 5am this morning…" Her voice sounded a bit more cheerful.

"Well, then I understand." He said. Really he didn't understand they ran missions at odd hours for more than a year and she had been always on the ball during those times.

"Ken…will you be home soon." Jun's voice had become distant. He wondered if it was the phone line.

"Soon as I can Jun…" He tried to promise. "Though it could be another week, Dr.Nambu has a meeting in Geneva he wants me to attend it with him…"

"Ken, do what you have to do." Jun said he sensed reluctance in her tone. "I miss you…" she said, she sounded needy. Jun wasn't a needy person that made him more concerned.

The Jun he knew understood what they did for a living, why did he feel at that moment he was talking to a stranger. Ken put it down to the phone line and dismal place he happened to be in.

"Jun…"He started to say again is everything alright but he stopped himself, the coins he had were running out. "I love you…I miss you too." Ken said tenderly instead.

"I love you too Ken…" Jun returned his tenderness at last. Smiling into the hand piece like she could see him and he felt his love for her grow even more. Maybe she missed him just as much, and the time away from him must be getting to her.

The line dropped out and he stood there for a minute listening to the beeping tone like it could be the beating of her heart.

Eventually he hung up the phone, placing it gently into the cradle and he headed back to his rented dodgy car.

Other than the car breaking down twice Ken had been making good progress to the next town. The last few days had been horrendous, torrential rain for most of the journey, along with storms.

The rainforest he was travelling through and the activity of militia groups didn't help his progress.

The small villages he passed through had general two houses and a barn. So finding the payphone on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere had been a welcome relief form him, Ken made sure it wasn't a bomb or bugged before he used it. He still couldn't figure out who would put a satellite coin phone in the middle of a rainforest. But to finally hear Jun's voice through the crackling line warmed him internally.

When he laid in the back seat of the little car trying to get a few hours sleep he spoke to her image in his mind, promising he'd be back soon, and he'd never leave her to go off on a mission like his father did to his mother.

The voice he heard on the phone just under an hour before disturbed him, he couldn't pick why, but she just didn't seem happy to be speaking to him. The warm loving voice he heard for just a few minutes earlier in the week had become wooden and forced.

He hoped Jinpei hadn't done something foolish to upset her.

Ken let out a frustrated breath- he pushed back the temptation to cut short his investigation that Dr.Nambu had sent him on to home.

He needed the answers for his own piece of mind before he could even think of doing that.

Toying with the idea of finding a florist in one of the bigger towns that offered interflora, Ken's sharp eyes caught sight of something in the dark black night just off the side of the dirt road in the trees. Deciding to pull over he figured it could be what was looking for out in this isolated part of Burma.

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Jun slowly put the phone back in its cradle. She loved listening to him talk, she always did. But it was too soon… she needed time to think about what to do, talking to him only made it worse for her for some reason, she knew she should say something, it just stuck in her throat. Ken on a mission, and he had to complete it no matter what was at stake before he came home, that's what it felt like when she heard his voice. She knew he would be like that so why did she suddenly feel very angry with him during their brief conversation? He loved her…

"Sis, are you okay?" Jinpei's concerned voice broke into her thoughts.

"Yes Jinpei, I'm fine…I just miss him that's all." She forced a smile as she turned face her little brother.

"Sis if you want the night off… I understand. I can do it without you, Ryu's downstairs, he can help." Jinpei's earnest tone went straight to her heart.

She walked over and hugged him close. "Thanks Jinpei…I do need a night off."

He pushed away from her his cheeks going red from embarrassment a cheeky grin touched his thin lips." Awe sis…I'm not a little kid any more…"

"I know Jinpei, I know." She said affectionately to the boy that was fast growing into a young man before her eyes.

Jun walked back into her room and she laid down on her bed for a long time, looking out the window she saw the sun slowly sinking and the sky had begun it's journey into darkness. Finally picking up her keys she clutched them tightly in her hand. The need to be close to Ken tonight ached in her heart.

She put a hand over her abdomen, the baby would only be small at this point, too tiny to make it's presence in her life known through any other way than the bouts of tiredness and sudden illness did the baby let her know it had started it's journey into her life…and Ken's life.

She walked down her motorbike and jumped on it starting the engine with a few revs' just to warm it up before she let it take her out into the cool night. The new motorbike was second hand, but since she handed in the civilian G-3 a few months ago she missed riding a bike.

The wind weaving through her hair like Ken's fingers often did felt sensational. She took her time, not going past eth speed limit, taking corners of the road more gradually that she would have normally. Her life from this point on would never be the same, she knew from the moment she saw the positive result on that white stick. Now she had to figure out what she needed to do. She knew where her motor bike was taking her too. But Jun knew she needed to go there, she needed something of his presence tonight to make her feel safe, and she had to think through her options.

Jun pulled up out the front of the Shack Ken called home. She found his spare key just under a brick close to the hanger and opened the door.

She didn't bother to turn on a light; she let the moonlight coming in through the windows guide her to his bedroom.

She took off her shoes and her clothes and pulled back the neatly made bed. From the corner of her eye she spotted Ken's old teddy bear from his childhood walking over to the corner he sat in she picked up the well loved ginger bear and walked back to the bed. The coolness of the bed sheets welcomed her as she snuggled down into them holding Cecil the bear close to her, tears stung her eyes. Jun didn't think it would be this way when the time came for her to have a baby. Wasn't this supposed to be a happy time? Not full of fear and uncertainly like she felt now? "Ken what will we do…?" She asked the bear. Cecil didn't answer her- instead he looked at her with startled amber eyes. She knew Ken wasn't ready to be a father. Motherhood was something she wanted from the time she had been a little girl…

_Ken was looking at her with his intense blue gaze._

"_Ken…we're having a baby." She told him. Ken's eyes went wide, and then he looked astounded and he turned away from her…"Jun we can't have this baby… you said you took precautions."_

"_I did," She pleaded with him…"Ken…I won't let the team down…"_

"_You already have…don't you see? You're off the team forever…now we're down to three…I can't stay on the team if I have family…if Galactor returns…then the world is at its mercy…it'll be down to Ryu and Jinpei… " He left the last words hanging…'because of you' echoed through eternity. Riddled with guilt she burst into tears. "Ken, it didn't want it to be this way…" _

Startled by the sunlight streaming through the window's Jun woke up still clutching Cecil in a cold sweat. She knew what she had to do- she just had to find the courage to do it. Pulling back the bed sheets she made her way to the bathroom.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The shadow that lurked in the dark night disappeared as soon as Ken got out of the car and ran after it, the person following him had something familiar about him, but Ken couldn't pin point why he felt a connection it

The shadow that lurked in the dark night disappeared as soon as Ken got out of the car and ran after it, the person following him had something familiar about him, but Ken couldn't pin point why he felt a connection it.

When he stumbled across an old Galactor base a few days before he felt the shadow's presence in the dark abandoned auditorium while he check it out for signs of being taken over by someone else. The base looked to be abandoned in a hurry by Goon's from the way uniforms had been discarded and personal items strewed across floors. Things left in place like the occupant would be back any moment for it. In his inspection of the base he also found a store of explosives. So he set about destroying the technology left behind by Sosai X and Berg Katse. He'd managed to load up a disk of information to take back for Dr.Nambu to study about the former organisation.

Ken's guard had been up since he realized someone is watching him, and his every move through this part of the country side. He figured they had to be a spy and he intended to discover what this spy wanted from him.

Silently he pulled out his old birdrang and released the razor sharp blades in case he needed to use it. The birdrang he ad left with Joe at Cross Karakorum, he carried now as a reminder of his lost brother along with feather shuriken he picked up when they had finally decided to leave that begotten place. Ken didn't feel the need to go back to Cross Karakorum, the painful loss of his father and the events that followed taught him not to revisit those places.

Years of combat training made it easier for him to maintain his stealth as he moved through the undergrowth in the darkness, he felt the eye's on him still. The temptation to give away his position so the stalker would act and he could confront the shadow became more and more overbearing.

Coming up to the crest of a hill he could hear voices speaking in Burmese. Going even slower crouching down closer to the damp slipper ground Ken looked over the undergrowth to where the voices had been coming from.

There looked to be a permanent camp set up. Several huts and groups of organised soldiers with narrow muddy streets, highlighted by a few spotlights, the drizzling rain making the light obscure, still the light did give Ken a general outline of the camp.

This could be where the General that's been dealing in Galactors abandoned weapons and recruiting the scattered goons into his army could be hiding out. Well there's only one way to find out. He thought, making a further assessment of the camp. The barbed wire fence he could deal with, he looked to see if it was electrified as well.

Four guard towers, a few standard bored guards along the perimeters, and he saw one coming towards him and backed into the shadow of a tree.

The man stopped and looked around sharply, pointing his machine gun into the bushes close to Ken's position. He recognised the machine gun's make even in this light. Standard Galactor issue. The man didn't look to be Burmese.

Ken knew he had the right camp from seeing the soldier. He waited until the soldier looked away. In one swift fluid motion Ken grabbed him over the mouth first and them pulled his head back slit his throat with birdrang, pulling him backwards into the undergrowth he quickly took his uniform, cap and gun. He hid the body as best as he could without a shovel.

Confidently he made his way back into the camp keeping his head down as if to shelter his face from the light rain. A guard called out to him, Ken indicated it was all clear in that part of the rain forest. And he continued to walk toward the rowdy noise of the main entertainment area for the fighting troops. He saw a few more faces that didn't belong among the crowd of Burmese soldiers. A group of frightened looking young girls danced on a platform entertaining the men that looked to be getting drunker by the minute. Kendrew his lips into a tight line knowing what the men intended to do those women.

They won't get near them if the Eagle has any say in it. Ken secretly promised the girls he'd be back to help them.

Walking close to the buildings so he could stay obscure from the passing soldiers around him, he looked up to see familiar face on the verandah of one of the buildings in the distance. Beyond it he saw a helicopter land- its lights highlighted the fine drizzle.

He'd seen one picture of the General taken from a distance-it was enough for him identify his target. Ken wanted more than to just eliminate the man. That would be too easy and it wouldn't give him the source of the weapon deals, what this General aimed to do with it all. The last thing he needed to deal with was another Berg Katse warlord taking over Galactor technology.

Ken check around him to make sure he wasn't being watched, and then he moved in closer to the building, watching the General the whole time walk back inside followed by some men that didn't look like they belonged there, Ken assumed they had come in from the helicopter.

The building had been made on stilts making it easier for him to slip in underneath and look up through the cracks in the floor boards at the four men in the room.

"General Kino… you're late..." One of the men with a Scandinavian accent said evenly.

"Late?" The General scoffed. "I had a supply train destroyed a week ago... you have no idea what I face here in this jungle."

"You promised me gun's…and a mecha from the old Galactor-"The other Scandinavian man with a quick temper began to threaten the General by indicating to his gun.

"A Mecha! What do you think was left from that regime?" General Kino looked astounded.

"You said there is an old base around here?" The shrewd looking man with darker features that one hadn't spoken yet looked at the General thoughtfully.

"It blew up… unexpectedly…taking the Mecha with it." General Kino huffed. "There could have been unstable explosives in there; I should have left some men there. But since the base was 100 miles south from here, I needed them here to contain some rebels." The three men exchanged glances.

Ken grinned, and his grin left his face when he realized the base he blew up was to the east and there hadn't been a Mecha at the base he found. So, who blew up the other base? Ken wondered. He mentally marked the shrewd looking man- he was the dangerous one out the four of them.

The sounds of panicked voices and shouting made him shrink away from the crack in the floor.

"There's breach, find the intruder!" One man shouted. They must have found the body sooner than he expected.

Ken looked around for an exit, and then he noticed one of the drunken men dragging one of the young frightened Burmese dancers towards a hut.

Ken moved quickly towards them while the camp came to life around him. He threw the birdrang hitting the man in the back of the head knocking him to the ground in one hard blow. He stretched out his hand to catch the returning birdrang. He let the young girl see him, and he indicated that she come closer to him.

He understood her hesitation, she looked at the dead man that had been about to force her to sleep with him and then she ran towards Ken.

"Do you speak English?" He asked her quickly.

"A few words." She said brokenly. "My sister…" She pointed towards the main area where soldiers were now pouring out of.

"Stay with me." He told her. She seemed to understand, and she crouched down following along behind him. He needed to keep an eye on the General and his business associates- he needed to learn more of the operation so he could report it to Dr.Nambu. But Ken hated to see innocents suffer and he could see these girls are innocent.

Bombs started to go off in another part of the camp, confusing Ken because he didn't intend to start a fight, just get his information and get out. Now he knew he wasn't alone here, maybe they didn't find the body.

The large group of men had pulled then off the stage and had begun to strip them of their clothing, the three remaining girls screamed in horror at the hands groping at their bodies.

Ken moved quickly letting his birdrang cut down more of the men, with fluid moves he took out more with his precise punches and kicks, causing the men to forget the girls so they could fight him.

The girl he freed on the road ran in and took the hand of her sister and indicated the other girls follow her.

Ken knew it was time to leave, he followed the girls out of the common room and to the perimeter of the camp, and he gave her a gun and some ammunition.

"We..be…ok…now…" The girl he helped stuttered. "You kill them…they..do…bad…things to us." Tears came to her sad eyes and Ken nodded telling her he would do his best to avenge her. Then he saw the helicopter start up from the corner of his eye.

Racing through back through the camp that had chaos taking over with explosions happening everywhere he had to stop that helicopter from taking off.

He rounded the corner of hut to see it was to late as it lifted higher off the ground, but he wasn't about to be beaten. He needed to know who those men worked for. He saw the General in with them.

Looking over he saw another smaller chopper. Racing at full speed he jumped in and started up the engines. Then he began the process of speeding up the blades for lift off.

The chopper began to lift higher when he felt it suddenly begin to rapidly descend from the sky. Smoke pouring out of the engine in black choking plumes.

Ken struggled to get back control of the spinning chopping, the he saw the ground coming straight for him, the sound of metal bending and blades ploughing into the ground, unbearable pain shot through him and then blackness followed.

He became semi conscious long enough to feel his body being pulled from the wreckage, the smell of fuel and smoke making think he was being suffocated.

The night became darker, the pain shot through him again this time more intense causing to cry out, he wanted to reach for her.

A deep harsh male voice came out of the darkness. "_You had better be treating her right. You son of a bitch, what the hell did you think you were doing?_"

Ken didn't respond, he had already begun to slip back into the dark place he been in only moments before.

Days began to slip into more than a week, and she had been sick at different times during the day, but she found ways of hiding it from Jinpei. A few times she tried to work out how far along the pregnancy had progressed. Looking at her calendar she narrowed it down to about eight or nine weeks, maybe.

She had decided not to go to a doctor, at least not yet. If any of them required medical treatment they were suppose to go to the ISO building. They later learned Joe had been to see an unregister doctor about his brain condition. Jun had been tempted to do the same. She knew she should have the pregnancy terminated, and it would be better to do it before Ken came home.

That way she could pretend everything was normal. Life would simply go on like it never happened.

But she'd know... That thought stopped her every time she picked up the phone book into look for a clinic that did abortions.

Then she'd run to her room and cry that she even though about doing it…she had become an emotional wreck. In the past few weeks she'd snapped at Jinpei over the smallest things, and it had been getting worse.

Women miscarried all the time, often she hoped that would happen so she wouldn't have to make a choice, but now she wasn't so sure, her breasts had begun to hurt from the hormones running through her body.

Lucky he just figured her strange behaviour was because she missed Ken, and he teased her endlessly about moping around the Snack J for him.

Sitting at an empty table in the very quiet bar and grill Jun debated about how she could tell Ken about the baby when he eventually came home.

"Sis, Ryu wants me to go fishing with him again in a few days…this time he wants to know if I can go for more than one day." Jinpei looked at her with expectant eyes.

"Huh." She said coming back out of her thoughts.

"Sis will you stop being a love struck girl for one day." He moaned rolling his eyes and jumping over the counter to head towards the kitchen.

"You can go fishing Jinpei…" She told him standing up and walking over to the bar to get a drink of soda.

None of the scenarios that she constantly ran through her mind seemed to work, the all ended with Ken saying things that broke her heart. Wether he'd really say those things or not.

Thinking of him she had been worried that he hadn't called her in over a week, but then if he had been doing work for DR. Nambu and the ISO then he could just out of range for a phone.

Joe hid his illness from them all for a long time, eventually Ken worked it out, that he was hiding something…

Bringing the cool glass to her lips Jun thought about those last weeks of Joe's life. In the past two weeks she had a glimmer of understanding spark in her mind when he felt the need to keep it a secret. She remembered being so angry with him that he didn't trust her enough to tell what was wrong that day she tried to talk to him on the hill outside of Hakase's mansion.

She looked at her brother singing in the kitchen while he clean up from the morning rush. She had to keep this a secret from him, at least until she spoke to Ken.

Ken…would she become a burden to him, she thought. He'd want to keep it, something inside her told her would, but in the year come would be resent her for falling pregnant in a time when they were not totally certain of Galactors demise. Forcing in a position where he felt he had to marry her for the sake of their unborn child?

She put glass down and placed her hands firmly in the counter, she could just make the decision before he come home. Her knuckles went white from the tight she had on the counter.

Jinpei had asked for a few days away- that made it the perfect opportunity for her to do something about this pregnancy before it past the point of no return.

She thought about the abortion clinic she found in the phone book. Mustering up the courage to what needed to be done Jun walked slowly up the stairs to loft so Jinpei wouldn't overhear the conversation.

She pulled out the number and dialled it before she could think about backing out again.

"Good afternoon Dr. Bligh's surgery." The professional sounding secretary said through the phone line.

"Good afternoon, my names Jun and I'd like to make an appointment with Dr.Bligh." She said without any really emotion in her voice.

"I have an opening for tomorrow, he requires two interviews before any procedures are done." She told Jun in a firm but friendly voice. "Payment for any procedures is to be done in instalments."

"That's fine…" Jun said, writing down the time she needed to be there for the first appointment. "I'll be there."

With slightly trembling fingers Jun hung up the phone. It's done now, she thought hanging her head she allowed herself to become numb to the baby growing inside of her. In few days it would be just a bad dream she made go away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ken woke up to the pleasant sounds of small children playing just outside the small hut he had been in for the past week- he sat up a fraction, despite the screaming pain from his damaged ribs. The rebels that found him unconscious in the rainforest had proved to be good people. They only wanted to live a life that they owned for themselves. Not running in fear of a group of militia coming into the villages and taking theirs sons away to serve as soldiers.

His memories of the night he'd crashed the small helicopter were still hazy, every now and then he would have a dream about it, but all he saw in the dream was a man wearing black with fierce eyes and gravelly voice pulling him out of the twisted burning wreckage.

When he asked Arun, the rebel leader about the man who pulled him out of the crash the older man frowned and shook his head. Ken later learned Arun hardly spoke any English. His sister Htet, the young girl Ken helped escape spoke English better than she let on at the time he first met her.

Laying back on the simple sleeping mat and pondered in the missing details of that night.

The Generals helicopter had been shot down by someone just outside of the camp, and it wasn't the rebels from what he had from Arun learned. They found a hand held rocket launcher in the jungle, a heavy weapon that would be impossible for a man to carry on his own. They found Ken when a gun shot went off close to the location he had been abandoned by the person who pulled him out of the wreckage.

The only memory that stood out in Ken mind is that gravelly rough voice, whoever that man had been he had to be long gone by now. He could have been another operative for the ISO but Ken doubted that, if he had been then he would have taken Ken out of the jungle at least.

Likely then man was a loose canon, operating on his own with his own agenda. Ken figured as long as it didn't hinder his, then his rescuer could continue to fight against the militia that ruled here with an iron fist. But he did interfere by shooting down the

General before Ken could learn more about the operation that he was involved in, and the real leaders behind it.

"You awake." Htet said smiling gently while she brought him in a plate of rice.

"Thank you." He said forcing himself into a sitting position.

"You looking much better today…Ken." She placed the bowl next to him and sat down, bringing her long slender legs underneath her when he ate the plain rice.

"I'm healing, which means I should make my way back to my home." He said briskly.

He felt a twang of guilt when he saw Htet's crest fallen face; he knew she had taken a genuine liking for him. "You going …back to her…" She said sadly.

He nodded still watching her; he longed to see Jun again. But first he needed to see Dr. Nambu and talk to him about his findings, and he needed to know if another person had been assigned to this mission and if so, why didn't Dr. Nambu tell him about him.

Arun poked his head through the door and grinned broadly, he said something to his sister in their native tongue. She faked a smile and moved over to let her brother sit close to Ken.

"I...I...know." He stopped while he tried to find the words he needed in Ken's tongue."Ameris people…missions…going back on river." He indicated.

"When?" Ken asked him his eyes shifting from one face to the other, Arun said something again to his sister- she looked at her brother intently taking in every word he said to her.

"We will take you to the boats today so you can return to your people…and woman, then you can find other transport." She said, her eyes looked mournfully at him, and he knew she was about to cry, Htet held back her tears and stood up elegantly and left the hut.

Arun began to apologise for his sister, but Ken indicated there to be no need for it.

He picked up his tattered shirt and pulled it on gingerly aware of his sore ribs. He stood up slowly she the blood wouldn't suddenly drain and make him dizzy.

"I'm ready to go." He told Arun, while pulling on his dark brown combat boots and tucking in his dark kaki coloured cargo pants. He picked up his one feather Shuriken, his birdrang he lost when the chopper crashed.

Arun lead the way out of the hut, Ken followed.

He jumped into the military style jeep with welded shut side doors. Three other armed rebels and they began to make the journey down the river.

"We be there…two hours." Arun shouted over the noise of the engine. Ken acknowledges him and then kept a sharp look out for militia that could be hiding in the more jungle part of the rainforest they had begun to drive through as they made their way along the rough slippery dirt road.

They had been driving for an hour when he caught a glimpse of something following them deeper in the jungle. Whoever their shadow was he could move fast Ken noted.

Signalling for Arun to slow down Ken ignored the pain in his ribs and jumped out of the moving jeep, Arun kept going but at a slower pace to allow Ken to catch up with them.

With stealth that came naturally to him from years of practise in a deliberate half crouch Ken moved in on his stalker. At a short distance he saw that he had his head and hair covered in a black bandana, a black scarf covered most of his face except for his hard eyes. Ken couldn't totally make them out in the semi soft sunlight coming through the trees. The rest of tall solid built man, covered in black clothing and he could see a long curved knife in his black gloved hand.

Ken moved in wide circle around him being carful not to disturb the undergrowth.

He assessed to best way to attack him from his current position, to subdue him enough to find out what he wanted from him.

The ninja dressed man must have sense him from the way he went fluidly into a fighters stance. His eyes held a predatory gaze as he looked for Ken, and his head moved like a snake waiting to strike, showing him to be an experienced fighter.

Ken had felt like a hunter as he picked his moment to strike. He leapt out of the large leafy bushes, his right foot hitting the man directly in his chest knocking him hard onto the soft damp ground.

The masked man moved lightning fast, flipping over several times before coming to his feet and throwing Ken hard against a tree, sending bolts of pain through the Eagles still healing body. Ken yelled to let it out as the pain began to pulsate through him.

The man grunted he pulled out something from his pocket. Ken tried to stand up as he threw his aching body out of the way of the object flying towards him.

He looked up to see his birdrang sticking out of the tree above him. Looking straight ahead to where the man had been standing he saw only the movement of the soft green ferns indicated that he had been there. Ken got to his feet, pulled out his weapon from the tree dove through the moving ferns. Kens gut feeling told him this could be the man who saved him from the wreckage of the chopper and got him too safely.

Ken's chest heaved from the rushing adrenaline through his body, and he bared his teeth in his frustration of not catching this mysterious man.

"_Who are you_?" Ken called out to the jungle. "If you mean to help me…then _why_ do you run from me? "

He heard a short rough mocking laugh far in the distance. "I don't need your help…you're in the way so _go home_." The gravelly male voice called out.

Then he vanished like a ghost.

Ken stood there his chest heaving from the adrenaline racing through his veins. He stood still listening for any signs of the black clothed man for a few minutes before he turned to run back to the jeep and board the boat on the river. Ken became more determined by the minute to find who this man was… His mission didn't look like it was over yet- he knew he had to come back here to find out what this one man army was up too.

Jun pulled up on the side curb close to the medical building she had her second appointment with.

The first one had gone smoothly, the doctor examined her to see how far along she really is. Ten weeks his conclusion had been from what she told him and the ultra sound he quickly did in the office.

Jun tried not to look at the screen as he conducted the ultra sound, holding a full bladder was hard enough, at least she had practise on missions to tune out to the need to run to a toilet.

But she didn't miss the slight movements on the black and white screen nor the heat beat. The doctor didn't say much during his examination. He asked her if she was certain she wanted to go through with it.

She told him yes, she could care for a baby.

Once he had been satisfied with her examination, and certainty he book her in to perform the curette.

Butterflies became lose in her stomach as she walked towards the clinic. A woman stood out front holding a protest plaque. Jun didn't need to read it know what the woman's protest is about.

The woman gave Jun a condescending glare as she walked past her into the building. "Whore…" She hissed under her breath.

Jun glanced at the woman but she didn't give her the satisfaction of a response. Who did that woman protesting think she was judging her like that. Jun thought, walking into the clinic Jun made her way to the reception desk.

The polite nurse handed her a clipboard and pen. "We need you to fill in some details before we can admit you for day surgery. Jun appreciated her professionalism. Sitting down in a waiting room chair she tried not to look at the faces of the other three women in the room. No one spoke- each woman had her own reasons for being there.

She couldn't truthfully answer half of the questions, so Jun made up answers for some of the medical background required. The last appointment she had to make up a surname. She almost gave them Washio. Then decided against it, instead she gave herself Jonson, a common surname, and less likely to be traced back to her.

"Jun Jonson." A young nurse said from the doorway.

Jun stood up, and handed her the clip board, then she followed her out of the room, down the hallway to prep room for day surgery.

"We need you to put on this surgical gown- the doctor will be with you soon." She said gently.

Jun sat there alone in the small room holding the light blue cotton theatre gown. A gut wrenching dread washed through her to her core being, and then overwhelming nausea took over. She ran from the room into the nearest restroom, straight into a cubical and threw up whatever had been left in her stomach from the day before. Dry reaching for some time she sank down next to the toilet bowl tears cascading down her face in painful sobs. She didn't know if the nausea was from the pregnancy or her own dreaded emotions of what she had been about to do.

She didn't want to do this. She knew deep in her heart she wanted to keep this baby more than anything in the world. After a part of Ken was now growing inside of her and it has a heartbeat. She put her hands over her abdomen protectively. "I'm so sorry little one…I won't hurt you."

Pushing her long locks away from her face she rested her head against the cold porcelain.

She knew she couldn't go through with it, she just couldn't. Now she had to find another way of keeping her child. Ken would be back soon- maybe they could find a way together after all. Determination set in and she forced herself to stand up, washing the vile taste out of her mouth she looked at her image in the mirror and gathered strength inside of her for the months to come. She had feeling she was going to need it now more than any time other time in her life.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

Ken looked out at passing scenery of the small crowded aluminium motor powered river boat with a shade canopy made of bamboo over the top of them to keep out some of the muggy heat, his mind worked overtime as he stared at the muddy water giving way to the slow chugging of the boat.

Looking towards the river banks covered on mangroves he looked for the man who had been shadowing him. His instinct told him the man is on his side, because he rescued Ken when he could have killed him or handed him over to the Burmese militia.

Galactor had been setting up a lot of operations through out this region from what Ken observed in his travels. The deals they made with the militia had come unstuck when they destroyed the headquarters at Cross Karakorum. From what Dr. Nambu told him before he left it had sent the region into to destroy the base and any others he found along the way, and find out who wants to get hold of Galactor technology.

Those men in the camp were Scandinavian, but who is their boss? Ken mused quietly still watching the mangroves for signs of his shadow.

His lips turned up just a little when an image of Jun jumped onto his mind and his thoughts turned to the last six months of his relationship with her. What would have been the saddest days of his life turned to the happiest because of her. Their grief for Jun tainted some it in the early days. Together they got through it. Ken still carried a sadness in part of his heart for his lost brother. But being with Jun made it worth while to build a life, to keep going …

The arms dealers are having field day with the amount of abandoned weapons, Ken though, as his mind came back to the mission, letting out a long breath he stared ahead of the moving boat. A military vessel rounded the bend and it began to head towards the crowded boat of civilians.

Ken felt the people around tense up and fear generate among them from the glances they passed to each other as the boat sped in closer, it became obvious now that the military men intended to board the small boat.

"Hide the women…and weapons." The native Burmese man driving the boat said frantically. There were only three on the boat but still they covered their hair and sank into the bottom of the boat while the men moved in to protect them.

The Commander of the boat stepped up to the side of his war ready boat and arrogantly grinned at the foreign civilians with his hands on his gun pointing it towards them.

"Hand over women…and arms…den you can go peacefully." He said in abrupt broken English.

Ken gritted his teeth, these bullies are not going to get away with this. He though while he prepared himself for a fight.

"You…" The commander pointed to him. "Get up and bring that woman to me." The Commanders condescending eyes rested on Ken.

Ken stood up slowly, looking over at the Ameris woman the commander had spotted. With casual movements he helped the trembling woman to her feet. Her husband pleaded with Ken with his eyes not to do it while he clung to his wife.

The Commander watched without any emotion in his eyes or his face.

"Do what I tell you to do…" Ken told her through his teeth. She glanced at him fearfully but didn't say a word. The Eagle took in the positions of his enemy. Seven soldiers armed with hand held machine guns, one standing casually behind the bigger machine gun on the boat, the Commander up standing there looking important, and the other five scattered on the deck with fearsome expressions on their faces.

Casually appearing to follow the Commanders direction without a fight Ken went to step onto the other boat.

Quickly he looked at the young blond Ameris woman. "Get down, and pull off the hook that's linking the boats." He commanded, and with lightning speed he pulled out his birdrang killing the Burmese man behind the machine gun first, it arched around taking out the three soldiers close by. Quickly boarding the boat he took hold of the closest soldier, and forced him to point his gun at the other soldier taking him down before he had time to react.

The Commander tried to get in a shot as the two boats drifted apart. Ken from the corner of his eye glimpsed a man starting up military boat and another two men emerged from the stairs that lead down inside it.

Ken acted on instinct, leaping over the bodies of the dead soldiers and taking hold of the head of the Burmese soldier trying to arm the boats machine gun. In a swift precise move he snapped his neck and threw him at the other soldier about to pull his trigger of his hand held machine gun. The dying man filled his comrade with bullets making his body fall to the ground like jelly just as the shuriken Ken pulled out entered the gun mans heart killing him instantly.

Adrenaline pumping through his veins from the fight Ken pulled out his shuriken "One for the Condor," He said putting it back into his pocket. He looked around for more opponents- he turned just in time to see another military boat speeding towards them.

The boat drew closer and Ken prepared to board it, when a missile sped towards the approaching war boat from the mangroves on the other side of the river. The boat exploded sending shockwaves through the water rocking the boat Ken was still standing in wildly throwing debris all over him and knocking him flat on the deck.

Ken looked up at the civilian boat- people ducked to avoid the sprays of debris. Ken decided it was leave and he jumped off the boat into the muddy water and swam quickly towards the boat of people crying in terror at the thought of death looming over them. Just as he pulled himself up onto boat with the husband of the woman he saved helping him in he felt more than saw the boat he had just abandoned explode from the heat on his back and the sprays of water and more debris that followed.

Scanning the shoreline Ken didn't see anyone running from the mangroves, the short range missiles seemed to come out of no where. Silently he thanked the black clad man for his help. Ken knew the need to keep anonymous from his time with the active  
Science Ninja Team, and he respected the man shadowing him for his bravery. Even now he longed to be in his Birdstyle, it made fighting an enemy much easier and less painful from the protection it gave.

The frightened missionaries cowered in the bottom of the boat while they sped away from the scene as fast as the small motor on the boat could go with the Burmese boat owner shaking in his boots.

The young pretty blond haired woman smiled warmly at him. "You are a blessing on our journey…we prayed for protection and God delivered you to us…" She said confidently, her brown eyes shining, and the other missionaries bowed their heads in a prayer of thanks, a few muttered that killing is a sin and he should have taken another course of action.

Ken smiled reluctantly at her way of thanking him- he didn't have any religious beliefs. But he still said a silent thank you to the strange man shadowing him for his help, and he hoped he could repay him some day in kind.

Deep inside Ken had still had to find his inner peace, the only time he felt anything close to it is in Jun's arms when they held each other close…

Some days, especially when was away from Utoland and Jun he just figured he just did what he had to do to survive and to bring isome/i peace into the world. He still held some of his disillusions towards ever really being able to totally settle down like he longed to do.

When they defeated one oppressor, another seemed to be lurking in the background waiting for their opportunity to rise up in power. Ken had started to make it his personal mission to prevent them from rising up to the extent that Galactor had.

The world is full of people wanting to rule it or destroy it. He thought sadly looking at the young Burmese mother clutching her toddler close to comfort him. He hated killing too, he detested it. He silently told the people still looking wearily at him while he let his body sink towards the bottom of the boat. He rested his head against the cold side of the grey boat.

Trying to ignore the discomfort of soaking with clothes he thought about Jun and his deep love for her, and the way he had gradually over a long time fallen in love with her. He had been glad that they wouldn't be bringing children into this world anytime soon being still teenagers and Jun is only seventeen. They both agreed they are far from being ready for it anyway. Looking discreetly at the young mother and her child, Ken didn't know if he would ever be ready for it because of the state of the world, even though in his heart he wanted a family in his future.

The ninja watched the departing small boat from his hidden place among the mangroves. Putting his rocket launcher over his back he began to move quickly out from the mangroves ignoring the sticky mud through his boots he emerged on the side of the river and ran a short distance into the trees.

His body had begun to feel the effects of his activities over the past few weeks, and he knew it needed fixing badly. But still he pushed forward through the undergrown, snapping branches that stood in his way, his body began to weaken even more, the normal effect of a rapidly beating heart evaded him. He doubted he even had a heart any more. The doctor had warned him not to push this new body too hard.

Since when did _he_ listen very well to medical advice? He thought bitterly. Still when he began following his old friend Ken Washio through the jungle he knew he had to help him, he knew more about this threat than he did. Count blue is all he knew about the arms dealer. No one knew where to fund him, or what he looked like, only a name without any substance.

Looking at the small boat chugging along the muddy river he thought about the past three weeks of destroying anything he found that resembled Galactor. It took him by surprise to see Ken standing in an abandoned Galactor base he had planned to destroy.

Ken, his closest friend and brother should have been back in Utoland doing mail runs and romancing a beautiful girl he could only ever dream of having in his life.

Especially now… He would never be the same the same man he had once been less than a year before, and he never would be again, he felt less than human in this strange body and the thought of it well unquenchable rage with his soul that he shut tightly inside of him, but he needed the pent up rage to be let out, so he it seeped through slowly and he unleashed it in small doses upon the people bringing harm world.

The thought of what he is now depressed him, a machine, a weapon against evil organisations, and nothing more. Still he kept driving forward. Running at a fast steady pace to keep track of the boat on the river his thoughts focused on his one goal, to make sure Galactor never came back; the threat had to be totally neutralized forever and if a single base stood abandoned or a group wanting to buy its weapons existed then he had to be the one to destroy them _before _they rose up to power.

Up ahead he spotted a small village, after almost a full day of following the boat. The village was set hap hazard on the edge of the river, the small boat had docked at the thin wharf and the passengers had begun to depart.

Running further up the river he jumped into the water and swam towards the other side, the strong current pulled at him but he swam hard towards the other side. Emerging from the colourless murky water and onto the muddy river bank he watched Ken as he walked up the hill towards the small white plane sitting on the dirt runway.

He spoke to the man sitting close by, pressed money into his hand and then Ken jumped into the pilot's seat.

The small plane taxied down the poorly kept runway and gain speed. The skill of the pilot made the take off look simple.

He watched the small plane circle the area and he wished the pilot the best of luck in his journey home. The desire for Ken to learn his identity had been overwhelming when Ken knocked him to the ground. The thought of Ken learning he had become a machine stopped him, the thought of Jun knowing he is now less than a man stopped him. Her soft green eyes and sweet nature, he came close to revealing his true feelings for her in a short intimate conversation in evening in his trailer still burned into him. She had cared for him deeply, at least that had been something he clung to in his last painful hours at Cross Karakorum.

He could never be one of them again, so why bring them more grief.

Enormous pain shot through his mechanical body, warnings set in place by the doctor that 'saved' him to let him know he needed repairs. Joe had ignored the pain for days…he could ignore it long enough to reach the lab of Dr. Raphael. He watched the plane become a white dot in the horizon. "Goodbye Ken…" He said simply before turning in the direction of the village and putting his thoughts into finding a transport back to his new home.


	7. Chapter 7

Ken looked out over the fluffy white clouds- the last time he flew through clouds like this Jun had been snuggled up in his lap. He wanted her to stay there forever- safe in his arms, her affection towards brought something that had been missing in his life until now. He remembered that tragic day they lost Joe and destroyed Galactor headquarters. She wouldn't let him go into the gears- she saved his life from her gentle touch and pleading eyes. Holding her in his arms he felt he come home.

Dr.Nambu had changed the location of his meeting with Ken, since Ken missed the convention at Geneva because he had been delayed while on the mission.

Swooping through the white clouds and heading to wards a distant runway Ken had a feeling Dr. Nambu has something very important to discuss with him and that's why he insisted they meet in person.

Landing on the tarmac of the ISO airfield in Switzerland he taxied his plane off the runway to a waiting hanger…

Borrowing a spare car from the ISO parking lot he headed into the small village close by to a restaurant called Zuri-stub in the main street.

He found the place in minutes, pulling up in the curb close by he could Dr.Nambu through the window sitting at a small with a white cloth over it.

Ken casually walked into the elegant restaurant and sat down at the table with his mentor. "Ken, its good to see you made it." Dr. Nambu put down the menu and smiled.

"I can't believe it's been so long…" Ken said picking up the menu, his stomach growled and he felt like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Peace time places different demands on me." Dr.Nambu said seriously. "I'm paying…"

Ken began to look at the more expensive dishes on the menu. A waitress who looked to be in her mid thirties came over to take their order.

"You are ready?" She asked smiling broadly at Dr.Nambu.

Ken watched the doctor's flush from her obvious attraction to him. Clearing his throat the Doctor managed to order his lunch. Ken tried not to show his amusement, he'd never thought of the doctor having a love life and it was a picture he tried to banish from his mind. Romance and Doctor Nambu didn't seem to fit in the same sentence.

Looking at the menu again Ken ordered a two Bürli, a Swiss style of bread and _Pastetli with a side of steamed vegetables, the meat in the pastry sounded wonderful after weeks of eating nothing but plain rice. _Then he ordered a dessert. His stomach rumbled again, he silently hurried the kitchen to bring out the food fast.

"Doctor, I know you need for another project…" He hinted with a knowing smile at Dr.Nambu, and getting straight to the point.

"I know it wouldn't take you long to ask." Dr.Nambu leaned forward in his chair. "First, what happened in Burma?"

Ken began to outline the basics for him, hinting at the disk he had in his pocket protected by a waterproof cover and that he destroyed the base, investigated a group of arms dealers- that got killed so the lead went cold. Then he mentioned his shadow, he watch as Dr.Nambu went into deep thought on this matter.

"I don't know of anyone else assigned to check out the area for activity of arms dealers…I'll look into it." He promised. "There is another reason I asked you to come."

Ken sat back in chair waiting for Dr.Nambu to continue. While the welcoming savoury scent of his steaming hot pie invited him to take a bite. He began to eat, with maintaining eye contact with Dr. Nambu.

"I want you to take up an assignment with the UN in Africa." Dr.Nambu said at last.

Ken put down his fork. "I though we have been deactivated?"

"You have been Ken, I'm just asking you to go. It's an opportunity to develop your skills with latest fighter jets we have been developing." Dr. Nambu expected Ken to jump at this, he could tell from the look in Dr.Nambu's eyes.

"Doc, I…" Ken faltered thinking about Jun, the chance to test fly the latest fighter jets, or just go back to Utoland.

"Ken, this is a good opportunity," Dr.Nambu studied his face.

"I know…Jun and I have been spending a lot of time together-"he began to try and find the right words to explain his relationship with her. Dr.Nambu held up a hand and smiled warmly.

"I know there has been something special between the two of you for while, why don't you bring her with you…"He offered.

Ken felt the tension inside of him ease up- of course, it would be good for them. "She'd love it I'm sure, when you want me to report at the base?"

"In two weeks time, that's should give you enough time to get back to Utoland and talk to Jun, the base is isolated, but there are family houses close by for personnel. I'll have one allocated to you." Dr.Nambu spoke like the deal had been made final. "Ken I'm designing new equipment for all of you…A new jet is at the base waiting to be tested, and I figured you'd want to check out the progress… I want to keep things on standby just in case…when everything is complete training will begin again…"

Ken piped up at the sound of this- he knew the rest of his team will find it interesting that new equipment is in the works for them. He could see him doing an African safari with Jun, and she could give the designers ideas. "What about Jinpei and Ryu?" He asked tucking into his food again.

"The offer is open to them. I did get a message from Ryu that he wants to go home for a while and he would like to take Jinpei with him… I gave him my permission, and I'll contact him if he's needed…"

Ken had a good feeling begin to kindle inside of him about going to Africa. Jun wouldn't have to worry about Jinpei being left on alone, and he could come to the base if he wanted to be with her. Ken felt a wave of excitement wash over him at the thought of flying fighter jets again…

"I'll talk to them Dr. Nambu." He said confident that Jun would want to come with him. "I'll take you up on this…to be up in fast jet again…"Bliss…Ken thought. Pure bliss, the sound of the engines and sudden sonic boom as he pushed passed the sound barrier. Ken hadn't realized how much he missed it.

"I thought you would Ken…" Dr.Nambu's expression rarely changed from being serious. The waitress flirted with the doctor when she came to clear the table and bring over their desserts and coffee. Dr.Nambu didn't know where to look when she bent down to pick his plate and her ample cleavage threatened to spill out in his face. The red faced Doctor fumbled with his glasses, trying to make it look like he hadn't noticed.

Ken tried not to choke on his water as he took another sip from the glass while he watched the scene unfold. She slipped him a piece of paper and winked- Dr.Nambu discretely read it, looked at her sternly and then put it into his jacket pocket. Ken didn't want to know.

"It looks like you might have a date doctor." Ken said trying to keep a straight face.

"Humph…" Dr. Nambu said without changing his facial expression and showing some of his discomfort about her interest in him as she brought over the rich looking chocolate dessert and coffee. But his eyes followed her. Ken tried not saying anything else, if Joe was here…Ken let the thought rest to try and dull the pain that went with it, like he often did when the sudden thought of his lost brother came into his mind unexpectedly.

Ken did however have a positive vibe about going to Africa, and he knew the sooner he got back to Utoland the better to tell Jun.

Jun wiped off the last table in the Snack J after a busy night of rowdy customers. Exhaustion threatened to make her drop the cloth and head up to bed like she longed to do. But she still had to put the cloth back into its rightful place. Since Jinpei ran out to go to the amusement park as soon as the last customer walked out the door.

She had found herself looking in the mirror everyday for signs of the 'baby bump', so far her abdomen appeared to be flat. But according to the book she picked up on pregnancy, that can normal for some women, especially women that start their pregnancy being fit and looking after themselves. At the same time she brought that book she also picked up another book. '_Look good in clothes during pregnancy and afterwards._' And another one called, _'Keeping in shape.'_ She figured until she found a way to tell Ken, she didn't need to have Jinpei worrying about her.

The sound of someone opening the door caught her attention- the joint had been closed for less than an hour, she was sure she turned the sign to '_closed._'

Looking up the sight of Ken flooded her with relief, He stood frozen- staring at her like he had been gone for years. His clear blue eyes lit up and his face broke into a smile as he ran towards her and scooped her up his arms and whirled her around making her dizzy. At last he stopped and let her feet touch the ground and he kissed her so passionately she thought her was about to burst from the love she felt flood through his touch and his kiss as it deepened.

"I missed you Jun…I love you so much…" He said trying to catch his breath between deep passionate wet kisses.

"I missed you Ken…I love…you." Jun's breathy voice managed say as he picked her up in his arms still kissing her like he had to make up for lost time in only a few minutes, his lips trailing warm wet kisses down her neck, while his hand caught her now messy hair and drew it back then he carried her the upstairs to her bedroom.

Laying her down on her bed his he lowered his body half on top of hers. Jun lost herself in his kisses and the need that ignited in her to have him inside of her and to forget about the past few weeks since he left to go on an assignment for Dr.Nambu. Tomorrow she thought. I'll tell him tomorrow.

Ken pulled off her shirt and she unbuckled his belt, both of them desperate to remove annoying clothing that stood in their way of making the most of his first night home in weeks. He paused to look into her eyes. His dark hair falling around his face, making his blue eyes stand out in the moonlight flooding into her bedroom.

The pause and the love for her in his beautiful eyes only served to heighten the lust between them. For the rest of the night she thought of nothing else than the sweet pleasure they gave each other, eventually falling into each others arms pleasantly exhausted allowing sleep to come at last.


	8. Chapter 8

Jun woke up lying on her stomach to find Ken stretched out beside her, watching her with affection that warmed her heart, slowly she lifted her head slightly of the pillow, her long black locks of hair falling partly over her face.

A slight smile ran across his lips while he stroked her back lightly with his fingers. "Do you know how beautiful you are in the morning…your hair spread across the pillow…"

"With my hair in tangled knots…and morning breath." She giggled.

"Yes, especially if I'm responsible for it being tangled..." He said mischievously.

Jun looked at the yellowed and purple bruises on his chest, some appeared to run around to his back, the smile left her face as she studied them.

"Don't be concerned about those Jun, when we saw constant action I had bruises on me all the time…" He said casually.

" I know…it's just…" She started to say, deciding now is the time to say something about the baby then Jun looked at the clock," we have 15 minutes to open up for the breakfast rush." She said sighing.

Ken moved off the bed. "Then we'd better move…"

Jun sat up and quickly got out of the messy bed and ran towards the bathroom. Turning on the shower and jumping in she began to think about the right time to tell Ken about the baby. Last night it didn't seem right, so at one point during that day she'd find the words.

A loud crashing noise of pots and pans downstairs in the kitchen told her Jinpei must have come home during the night.

Rushing out of the shower she began to dry off just as Ken stepped through the door to the bathroom. "My turn," He said with a slight cheeky grin and running his hand over her bare bottom on his way past.

"I'll see you downstairs." She said quickly leaving the bathroom she dressed in jeans and a simple T-shirt, then she ran downstairs to help Jinpei prepare the Snack J for the people already waiting for them to open.

The next few days went just like that, Jun couldn't find the time be alone long enough with Ken to talk about the baby. I hung there every time she spoke to him; still the words hadn't left her lips.

He had to make up for lost time with his mail runs so Ken had only passed by the Snack J during her busy times to grab a bit to eat and then he was off again. Sometimes he looked at her sharply, but he didn't say anything.

He mentioned in passing that he needed to talk to her about something important- he organised with her to go out to dinner, so they could have some time alone and catch up. She began to wonder if he figured out that she's pregnant.

Still almost a week went by before they finally got the chance to go out for the dinner date.

Jun stood in front of her mirror, smoothing down her new light pink straight knee length dress, still no sign of the bump forming, but is she pressed close to the pubic bone she could feel her swelling womb just a little.

Tonight she'd tell him, and she began to feel nervous of his reaction to the news of becoming a father.

She picked up her little silver evening bag and slipped on her sliver high heeled strappy shoes. She heard the door open and Ken said something to Jinpei.

Jun tried not to run down the stairs. When she emerged through the doorway he gave her a smile of approval at her choice of outfit.

"You look great too." She said taking his large hand in hers while he lead the way out to his car. "So where are you taking me?" She asked hopping in the passenger seat.

"Well, an old friend told me about this great Italian restaurant…"He said backing out onto the street.

She knew who the old friend he referred to was Joe. Sometimes saying his name stirred up sad emotions in both of them. She figured Ken didn't want the sadness of losing Joe to be with them tonight as it often did when he asked her on dates in the early days of their relationship.

Ken opened to door to an elegant restaurant with subdued lighting and lit candles on each of the tables. A friendly Italian man with a round face and a black moustache and jolly smile greeted them.

"Welcome to my family restaurant." He said smiling broadly. "You have a reservation sir?"

Ken indicated that he did, and the older man looked up Washio on his list."Ahhh, yes, over here." He said leading them to a cosy table for two at the back of the restaurant.

He held out Jun's seat for her and she sat down giving him a grateful smile. Ken seated himself and they proceeded to order their meal.

"This looks like a wonderful restaurant." Jun said scanning through the extensive menu.

"Joe took me here once…" Ken said quietly.

Jun's ears perked up. "He did?"

"Yeah, he felt I should try real Italian, instead of the bottle bolognaise and packet pasta I served him at the shack one night."

This brought a smile to Jun's lips. She could imagine Joe's expression of disgust when Ken presented him with the meal. Joe cooked Italian for Jun one night at his trailer…the night they had that intimate conversation. She pushed her memories of that night a side and she tried to focus on the finding the right time to tell Ken her news.

The dinner conversation started out cheerfully, they talked about what they had been up to over the past few weeks. He ordered a bottle of red wine to go with the meal- Jun decided it not to drink it, even though he poured her a glass. Ken told her a few things about his mission, and the mysterious man he ran into.

"He must be a loner…" she mused while she ate her pasta dish." And a determined one, Galactor could have done something bad to his family or directly to him. And now he's just out to destroy the last remnants."

Ken agreed while he took a bit out of his main meal. "That's the conclusion I came too."

"The food here is fantastic, lets do this again." She said smiling.

Tell him Jun…Her inner voice kept saying…i tell him/i. "So..Ahhh what is it that you wanted to share with me?" She asked lightly, knowing she was stalling the inevitable.

"I caught up with Dr.Nambu while I was in Switzerland." He began his face lit up with excitement.

"How is he?" She asked, she hadn't seen the doctor hardly at all in the past six months.

"He's doing well, and avoiding pretty women who throw themselves at his feet." Ken grinned at the memory, the he related to her what happened in the restaurant. They both laughed at the thought of Dr.Nambu fending off an admirer.

"He asked me to go to Africa…to test new fighter Jets for six months…and we can see the new equipment they're working on for the team." Ken's eyes became brighter as he spoke about the assignment.

Jun felt like he just dropped a bombshell on her. Africa, now? She thought.

"Jun don't look at me like that, you can come too." He said reaching across the table for her hand.

"I can't go to Africa!" She blurted out still stunned.

Ken sat back in his seat wide eyes with surprised by her reaction. "Why not?"

"I have a business to run…and Jinpei-"

"It never stopped you before when we were working as an active team so don't use Jinpei as an excuse-"

"…We are in peace time, it matters now." Her heart hammered in her chest she needed him to see. "Ken I'm…" The words stuck in her throat.

Silence fell momentarily between them.

Ken stared at her closely, with his penetrating blue eyes, then he relaxed and let out a short laugh sounding relieved. "Jun, Jun… I though for a minute you were about to say something like I'm pregnant." He waved his hands in the air and took a sip from his wine glass.

Jun felt herself take aback by his reaction.

"And what if I did?" She said casually.

"Well, hypothetically, if it did happen then we wouldn't go ahead and actually have it." He said seriously. "But since that's not the case lets not worry about it."

Jun felt a cold unpleasant sensation run through her while the waiter cleared the table of the empty plates and then another put their desserts on the table.

"Would you be so…" She struggled to find the right word," …cold."

Ken looked at her, his expression became more serious. "Jun, are you wanting that kind of commitment now from me? We're way too young to even be talking about this…I'm nineteen and you're only seventeen. I not ready to even consider marriage or children." Ken looked like he wanted to end this conversation from the way his eyebrows came together his demeanour growing more serious.

"You talk like I'm forcing marriage and a life time commitment on you…" She said trying to keep her tone level.

"You're starting to sound that way. I couldn't support a family on mail run wages living in a shack." His said with a look of amusement.

Jun drew in a deep breath." We…we fought to have a life didn't we?" She asked, hoping he'd catch on.

"Yes…but…" Ken closed his eyes for a moment." We may be deactivated, but we're still on standby… If you can't handle-"

"Ken, we, us what about us…" she looked at his face highlighted by the candle.

He looked to be struggling hard with something. "Jun, I leave on Friday to go Africa…if you want to come with me, meet me at the airfield at dawn." He said like he expected her to say, _yes Ken, what time are we flying out…_

She shook her head. "I'm not going to Africa for six months, stuck in the middle of nowhere so you can fly fighter Jets...and me…sitting around doing nothing." Jun told him firmly knowing he would see her as being selfish.

The impact of her words hit home with him, a dangerous controlled hint of fury crossed his blue eyes while they stared at each other.

"I don't understand why you don't want you come with me, you won't be sitting around there are other projects happening there…I just…"He faltered, "I just want you with me Jun…" He sounded like the wind had been taken out of his sails from the crest fall expression on his face. He reached out trying to take her hand in his. Jun pulled away from him causing him to flinch, hurt flinted across his smooth handsome features.

"No…" She said feeling the magical bubble burst from the last six months of happiness she had share with him. "You don't…how could you understand-"

"Then enlighten me." He rebuked drawing his lips into a tight line- his facial muscles become tense again.

"…I have worked for months build the Snack J into a viable business for me and Jinpei. Ken we're in peace time Ken and you still feel the need to run off and save the world." She boiled over with emotion- she didn't really mean to throw his duty in his face so harshly.

"I didn't know you felt that way…" He looked hurt…worse he looked like she had plunged a sword into his heart.

"I told you Ken…I just can't go with you…can't you accept that." She threw the napkin down on the table angrier with herself than with him.

Jun began to feel Closter phobic from the tension that now lay between them.

"You know Jun, I don't know what happened with you while I was away…something changed. I felt it, but I didn't want to believe it." He stood up and threw some cash on the table followed by his car keys.

"I hope you work it out…" He went to walk past her and stopped, his internal conflict radiated from his tense body. Jun watched him ball a fist and then he walked with heatedly out of the restaurant, stopping only briefly to say something to man who greeted them at the door.

Jun put her hands over face and rested her elbows on the table and a few hot tears roll down here cheeks, why didn't she just say it. She chastised herself.

Deep down, she knew why.

If she told him about the baby after what he said she would have sounded desperate. Needy of him. Or was it just her own pride getting in the way of telling him because they had an argument.

The middle aged Italian man walked over to her and sat down at a table close by his brown eyes filled with sympathy. She looked up feeling drained of all of her emotions. He indicated she stand up and he gave her a big bear hug, the damn of tears burst fourth again.

"In da morning, things become clearer…he will come back to you…" He tried to reassure her. "Lovers tiff, that's all."

Jun didn't speak, she just nodded and thanked him, she fumbled with them money to pay for the meal and then got into Ken's car alone. She began to drive back to Snack J then she decided to try and find him, and tell him why she couldn't go to Africa with him. Then what? She though as she drove around. He'd call Dr. Nambu tell him he couldn't leave Utoland and stay with her? Or would he expect her to go back to that clinic…

She drove for hours all over Utoland city, she couldn't find him anywhere. She even drove out to the airfield. The place looked deserted, that's when she noticed his Cessna gone from the hanger.

He must have hailed a taxi she thought. Jun waited for a long time- eventually she turned on the engine and drove home.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Ken waited at the airfield- the sun hadn't come up yet so he held off getting into his small white plane.

He tried to call her day before. The phone rang once and he put down the handset, stared at the phone and picked it up again to dial the number for the Snack J.

Jinpei picked him up in his second hand buggy the day after his argument with Jun- for once the kid didn't try and bait him with teasing about his relationship with Jun. He must have sensed something serious had happened and he didn't want to make it worse.

Standing outside of the Snack J he looked through the glass open window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Jun didn't appear to be there.

"She's not well today Aniki." Jinpei said from the doorway. He looked worried and his young eyes implored him. "Do you wanna come in and see her…"

Ken looked down at keys in his hand. Should he go in and apologise for walking out on her during dinner? He stood on the curb next to his car long after Jinpei had gone inside. Finally he walked through door, and then he went up the stairs and knocked on her bedroom door.

No answer.

He waited, put his loosely closed fist to door to knock again, then he drew it away. What would he say? He thought. What could he say…Hey Jun, let's get married and make a commitment have a couple of kids and spend the rest of our lives trying to make ends meet? No, he thought, he told her they are far too young for that, and he made a commitment to go to Africa. Ken struggled to understand why she wouldn't come with him and her strange behaviour at times over the past week and half since he came back, had she been having second thoughts about them. Maybe he did something wrong _before_ he left to go to Burma…

She looked sad, a deep kind of sadness reflected in her green eyes like she was struggling with something. Did she have doubts about them working out in a relationship and didn't want to face it? Or did the mention of Joe on their holiday bring up something in her mind that she had been in denial with.

So many questions ran through his mind to try and explain the sudden change between them.

All this had kept racing through his mind as he walked down the stairs and out the door of the Snack J and during his drive home to the airfield.

Four days later he waited for her show up, saying she had changed her mind and wanted to come with him that is was just a phase they went through and they could work through it on their way to Africa.

Watching the pale light of dawn began to break over the horizon, and still he didn't see her motorbike riding up the dirt track to his shack.

He strained his ears to for even a hint of her coming. Only the chirping of early morning birds broke the silence. In his heart he knew Jun wasn't coming with him.

The beautiful start to the morning only made him feel more melancholy. They could have done this together, like in the old days when they all flew off on missions…

He could try calling her again. He thought, but he dismissed the idea as soon as it came into his head.

Putting the duffle bag of his basic belongings into the holding section of the light plane Ken still delayed getting into the plane to look back down the track. "Jun…please come…or call me." He begged under his breath desperately hoping the phone in the shack would start to ring, asking him to wait for her, she was delayed that's all.

Looking at the cockpit he knew he had to go. If he saw her from the air he'd come back in and land. He promised after the sun had risen throwing a golden glow over the airfield. He'd waited long enough, and at last Ken jumped into his plane and started the engine.

As he lifted off into the pale blue sky he told himself he'd try and call her from the base. She meant too much to him to simply lose her over one argument and nagging doubts.

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Jun laid in her bed hugging her soft pillow watching the soft pink ambient light the sun rising through the clouds- she knew Ken would be waiting for her at the airfield.

She just couldn't go, the last few days she'd been almost bound to her bed because she became very ill. Jinpei put it down to her sulking over Ken after she told him they had a huge argument, after he banged on her door to wake her up.

Jun knew better, some it was, but not all of it. She had to be just on thirteen weeks now, she thought watching the bright golden beams of sunlight filtering in through her window gradually warming the room.

The next few days after her argument with Ken she hardly left her bedroom, at one point she woke to the sound of someone knocking on her door, feeling annoyed that Jinpei would wake her up again she ignored it. Part of her wanted it to be Ken standing there…

But Ken didn't make an effort to talk to her, that grated at her internally, she knew he picked up his car from outside the Snack J. Jinpei told her though the door at one point during the day he was going to pick him up from the airfield to come and collect his car.

Why hadn't he called her? Or made and effort to come and see her? Jun questioned sadly. They had such a close relationship for it to come apart so quickly, but she knew a wedge had been put there the moment he spoke his feelings on children and commitment.

She let go of the pillow and rolled onto her side, pushing back the covers she got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. She couldn't sleep, so why bother trying she figured, turning on the water and hopping in under the soft warm sprays letting the water smooth her body as it ran down her back.

Jun knew in her heart he'd be gone by now, she pictured the small white plane flying over Africa…

Jun would have gone with him if things had been different. Drying off and finding some clothes to wear she looked down at her abdomen. A very small bump began to appear, and her jeans felt a little tighter than normal.

She paused. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, if she couldn't tell Ken about the baby, then no one else is going to tell him on her behalf. She came to the conclusion a few days before. Jun had thought hard about it and the decision didn't come easily, she has never been a person to hide things from her team mates.

This would remain her secret for now. So Jun began to look at ways to throw Jinpei of her growing belly. Guilt at the thought of deceiving her trusting brother made her close her eyes to blink back the pain she felt in her heart. If he found out then he'd contact Ken.

She knew Ken would come back despite the words he said the other night about not wanting a child. Ken's sense of honour would draw him home. Then she'd put him a position of conflict between her, his duty and having another team member gone if the call came for them to reactivate. She just hoped it wouldn't be anytime soon, Ken could be protective, but she knew it was really her choice now. But what would she do when the baby is born? Jun hadn't made up her mind yet. She had several choices and she knew of. She could still quit the team. But then what about Jinpei and Ryu? She'd worry about the three of them trying to operate along if another threat rose up.

Drying off from the shower she knew she needed time out. Picking up her Keys for the motorbike she dressed quickly. An early morning ride along the highway would clear her head, and make he feel better even if it was only for time she felt the cool wind running its fingers through her long locks while she contemplated her future with the Science Ninja Team.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Joe didn't bother to open his eyes at first- he could feel the heat of the lamps through his thin eyelids and the glare of the bright lights couldn't be blocked out so easily.

"What have you done to me this time?" He could hear the grogginess in his voice, but at least it sounded more like his own.

I should be used to this by now. He thought waiting for his answer.

"Since you managed to do some damage to your chest plate along with other malfunctions of important organs…kidneys collapsed….a lung almost gone. Joe you're lucky to be here all. What hit you so hard in the chest?" Dr.Raphael sternly chided him for his neglect. "You still don't know your own strength at times…"

That comment made him think of how hard he threw Ken against a tree, he could have killed him if it had been any harder, it had been unintentional the sheer force he used. "_Can you turn down those lights, you're blinding me here_." Joe tried to open them, but he felt the surgical tape across his eyes when he tried to blink. The intense heat of lights softened.

"Joe, I told you to stretch your legs for a day and get to know your new strength, not disappear for _three weeks_." Dr. Raphael voice came close to his ear.

"What do you care…?" Joe said trying to sit up, only to find his limbs tied down too.

"If I didn't care I'd have left you to-"

"I know I should be grateful to have been turned into a killing machine."

"Joe have you always been this bitter? …Full of hate and revenge? " Raphael had pity in his voice now, making Joe grimace internally. Joe hated pity from anyone.

He hardly recognised the man he had been before, Joe Asakura died he concluded, he couldn't go back to his former life, and he tried to accept it. Then why couldn't he forget his former teammates…especially Jun.

"Maybe…Just don't call me Joe." He said in a flat tone. "I don't know what I am anymore…but I'm not Joe Asakura…I never will be again."

"Suit your self about what people call you…You're same as you have always been, only stronger, and more alive." The doctor told him while he did something to the nerves on Joe's fingers.

"Alive?" Joe laughed bitterly. "Is this what you call _living_? Making me into a killing machine…"

"Find something to live for Joe…I didn't just make a killing machine out of you I hope." Dr Raphael's voice had gone quiet. He pursed for a moment." I've done some adjustments to your internal organs, they should work better now, don't wander too far…I had to put you in an induced coma just so your body could recover from your last adventure." He heard the doctor let out a long breath, it sounded relieved. "At least you made it a few hundred metres from here before your heart gave way…next time you may not be so lucky." His stern medical tone left no room for arguments.

"Well at least you fixed my voice box, it went all strange…" Joe's bitterness intensified, he could hear a growl entering his voice "I've always had trouble following orders, especially from people who lecture me."

He thought about Ken again, to be honest with himself, he would give anything to have him lecture him again… like he used to in the old days.

"I can shut you down Joe- do you really have that much of a death wish?" Raphael inquired while he gently began to take off the surgical tap covering Joe's eyes. "You have this way of pushing your body to outer limits and beyond… dangerous thing to do-"

"Cut to the point doctor, why do you really make people into cyborgs?" Joe let the bitterness seep through his voice.

Dr. Raphael sounded surprised at his direct question. "Why? To help the rest of humanity… you'll know your task when the time comes, and I believe I've picked the right cyborg to do the job if the occasion ever returns." Raphael pulled up an eyelid to look into Joe's grey eye. Joe tried to clear his vision but all he saw was a hazy mist.

"Well…I'm a machine now so there's no going back… ever." Joe's bitterness returned as he thought of Ken, and Jun. The two people he cared about most in the world. He even thought of Jinpei and Ryu, he missed all of them badly.

"I'm going to put you back under for some more surgery." Raphael's face took on its customary serious expression reminding Joe of Dr.Nambu.

Joe didn't say a thing- he'd been out for a month, what is another month to him in his solitary new life. He pressed down the growing misery he had felt since he first found out he was dying just before the war ended and his world faded to nothing.

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The next few weeks Jun's body began to blossom with the growing baby inside of her. She would look at the growing bump everyday in the mirror and the put on clothes to disguise it as best as she could. She thought about Ken each day, the constant reminder of the hormones racing through her body didn't allow her to forget.

She knew it would get harder to do as she grew bigger, she'd just have to get creative. Biting her bottom lip while she thought about her clothing, she knew she needed to go shopping for more. She knew she couldn't hide her expanding waistline forever. So she had begun to leave empty packets chip packets and candy wrappers around the Loft in places Jinpei would notice them. Throwing out the actual candy, or she just nibbled on it when he came into the room.

Ken had call at least once. Jinpei took the call, and she missed it because she had been out buying sweets for the Snack J and she walked in just minutes after Jinpei had hung up. At least it was something, he cared that they parted in such a bad way. Deep down she knew he loved her and that's why he made the effort to call her. Ken calling her went to her heart- she still loved him, after all the situation she found herself in couldn't be entirely blamed on him.

She had the TV on one evening when Jinpei say down next to her. He looked at her sternly. "Sis, you gotta stop eating like this, you're getting fat." He said frowning and then taking the remote control from her and he turned down the volume.

She looked at him in surprise, but continued to nibble on her chocolate bar. His little shoulders slumped like he'd had something had been weighing on his mind for some time.

"Sis there's something we need to talk about." He looked nervous. Jun stopped eating her chocolate bar and looked at him trying to stay calm. Had he figured it out, and now he wanted her to some clean with him about the pregnancy.

"What is it Jinpei?" She asked trying to sound normal.

"Well sis…I've been meaning to ask you this for weeks, its just." He stopped and looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Ryu has asked me to go home with him, spend a few months with his parents. He promised we would go out on his dad's boat fishing and tour the islands." Jinpei's eyes became brighter as he spoke. She could tell he really wanted to go.

"Sis I know how hard it's been for you since big bro went away…I don't want to leave you here all alone." She could see his transparent conflicting emotions written across his young face.

"Jinpei, if this is what you want to do…then _go_." She gave him her brightest smile. "Don't worry about me...I might decide to go to Africa after all. So don't hurry back here…"

Jinpei's threw his arms around her in his excitement about his up coming trip." I'll have go and call Ryu…and pack some of my stuff."

He got up to leave and then looked at her again. "I know…" She said with a little bit of sadness. Since they found each other at the orphanage they'd hardly been apart. "I'll give you some spending money." She promised.

"I hope you decide to go and join Big bro…if not you can always catch up with Ryu and me." He said smiling again.

"Thanks for the invitation Jinpei, I might just want some time to myself here for a while…Ken and I didn't part on the best of terms." She looked away from Jinpei to hide the tears stinging her eyes. She hated herself at that minute for keeping secrets from Jinpei.

"Sis, he loves you…I know he does…" Jinpei said trying to reassure her.

She faked a smile. "I'll try and talk with him Jin…" She tried to promise, she had been hoping he'd try and call again. Satisfied with her response the excited Swallow ran down the stairs to call Ryu.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Ken began to slow down the powerful roaring engines of his fighter jet to prepare for landing it on the black tarmac that had come into view.

"Eagle eye, do you copy." Roy the flight controller's formal voice came through his helmet.

"This is Eagle eye, I read you tower, Alpha squadron is on its way in." Ken's professional tone had become automatic over the past few months. He had never spoken to Ryu like that when he came into land on the God Phoenix.

"When you land you have a visitor Commander." Roy said.

"Where are they waiting?" Ken asked. The heat shimmered off the runway as he came into land making him think it would stick to his wheels as he pulled back on his controls and turned down the flaps to slow the jet down.

He'd been doing observation flights for weeks looking for Rebels that had been causing unrest amongst the civilians. So far from his reports alone the managed to find several fringe groups planning raids on villages for boys to use as soldiers for their armies.

I wonder who it is? He thought. Immediately picturing Jun waiting there to see him, and brief hope ran through him that she had changed her mind and wanted them to mend the rift in their relationship that had formed just before he left.

He tried to call when he wasn't dog tired or caught up in pre-fight meetings about missions the squadrons would be running, and the training programs. The first time Jinpei answered, then no one. Each time he hung up the phone with a heavy heart and depressed, wondering what he done so wrong that she'd avoid him. Jun had never been a person to unforgiving, or hold a grudge.

Those thoughts were dashed when he saw Dr.Nambu waiting at a nearby hanger he taxied into.

He got out of the cockpit as the technicians ran over and began to look over his fighter. Waving to his other squadron comrades from different parts of the world all working with the United Nations he began walking casually walked over towards Dr.Nambu Carrying his flight gear.

"Hello Ken, I've been hearing good things about your missions." Dr.Nambu's moustache turned into a smile.

"Well, you know the problems still here with all those rebel groups wanting to control the country, but we did find that there's an arms dealer in Europe looking for weapons for some Count they refer to as Blue." Ken looked at the Doctor his serious expression told him he took in everything Ken told him.

"I got your report about that, have managed to find out who he is?" Dr Nambu inquired looking out at the fighter jets coming and going from the base.

Ken just shook his head annoyed that it came to dead end each time they came close to finding out who Count Blue could be and why he wanted all those weapons. He knew the name to be fake- but just who is the man he wondered.

"We need to keep an eye in Europe- someone's bound to know who would be building up a secret army." Ken said as they walked towards the elevator that led underground.

Dr.Nambu put in his security codes, and they began to move downwards. When the reached the 6th level they got out. Dr.Nambu indicated that he follow him into another elevator. This one held higher security. The Doctor did an eye retina scan before it showed the buttons for them to indicate the right level.

He selected a level and the elevator began to make its way downward. Ken knew not to ask too many questions, he had been aware of a secret base beneath them. No one on the base talked about it.

Silence fell between them while the lift finally came to a halt and opened. They walked out into a huge auditorium.

The sight that met his eyes floored him.

"What do you think?" Dr.Nambu broke into a smile at his reaction.

"What happened to our old warship?" Ken looked at the skeleton before him. "It has too many stress fractures. Ken basically it's falling apart- I know you want to keep the G-2 machine…"

Ken didn't respond, as long as the G-2 remained with the ship, Joe would be flying with them.

Walking around the ship Ken studied the design- it looked like they had decided to a full make over.

A jolly looking man with a thick brown moustache came running over. "Dr.Nambu everything's going well, we should be up and running in a few months."

"Thanks Kamo." Dr. Nambu shook his hand.

"I'll be moving onto another project soon, it's been a pleasure working with you." Kamo said smiling at Dr.Nambu and then he went back to another part of the ship

"What about our Mecha's?' Ken questioned ducking underneath to get a closer look at something that caught his eye.

"They're in the production line new…"

"All new designs?"

"Yes, even hand held weapons."

Ken walked out from under the ship, his quizzical frown prompted Dr.Nambu to walk over to a table. Picking up a disk like object he handed it to Ken.

Ken turned it over in his hand. It felt strange to be holding the object, yet it felt good.

"It looks like my birdrang is going into retirement." Ken said handing it back to Dr.Nambu.

"They still have some work to do on the new equipment…and base." Dr.Nambu said.

Ken looked up sharply. "New base?"

"Yes, I'm not revealing too much at this point… but it's better than ever before, and it'll be active as soon as we work through a few details." Dr. Nambu turned and he began walking back towards the elevator.

Ken followed the doctor out of the elevator and back to the top levels of the base. Parting at this point in time because Dr.Nambu had a meeting to attend Ken headed back to his quarters.

Tired from a full day flying he put his flight gear, and stripped down to his basic army pants and tight T-shirt. Throwing the rest into his locker and then headed down the rows of single beds towards his allocated bedding.

When he first arrived at the base he had a house, but he soon learned one the other pilots couldn't bring his family because of the lack of houses close by. So Ken gave approached him and changed accommodation with him.

Jumping up onto his top bunk bed, Ken laid back putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. His mind reeling with images of the new equipment being put together for them, was there something Dr.Nambu hadn't told him? Ken thought. There had to be. Putting the thought aside for one moment he pulled out a picture he kept under his pillow. Jun looked so beautiful that day on their short holiday together. He long black hair caught by the wind sweeping strands across her face, soft joyful smile touched her pink lips while she looked at him with her sparkling green eyes… Tomorrow, if he had a chance he'd try one last time to call Jun.

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Standing in the crowded pastry wholesaler Jun waited for her order of fresh cakes and pastries for the Snack J afternoon opening, Jun suddenly felt something in her abdomen. A tiny flutter, she had felt it the week before but now it had become more prominent.

Smiling she put her hand over the swelling part of her belly to feel it again. "Well, there you are…" She said to growing child.

"Miss…" An impatient lady called out to her from behind the counter, Jun was so absorbed in feeling the tiny flutters that she didn't respond at first.

"_Miss, your order is ready_. Snack J." The lady called to her again, Jun looked up abruptly.

Walking briskly to the counter she picked up the stack of boxes and she began walking back to the Snack J. The tiny flutters kept making her smile. "Your active." She said to her growing child. The sickness she felt had eased up a few weeks back. And she'd picked up some more books on pregnancy.

She had toyed with the idea on going to a doctor, but then she'd have to give medical information and information about herself. Even now in peacetime if they felt ill they needed to go the ISO doctors. Their identities had to be protected. So she started to read about the stages, if something really didn't feel right, then she'd find a regular doctor to go to for a check up.

During the months she had been on her own she had plenty of time to think, more so in the evenings, waiting for Ken to call, but he never did. Jinpei had called her while he had been away. Often she looked at the phone to see several missed calls from a private caller. Could the private caller be Ken? She thought.

Awkwardly she put the key into the door of the Snack J she could hear the phone ringing, hurrying she managed to open the door without dropping her boxes of cakes. She put them down on the counter. By the time she got to the phone it had stopped.

She looked at the number listing, _Private caller_.

Taking a breath and sitting down on stood she looked at the screen again, whoever the private caller was, they left her a message.

She dialled into her message bank and put the phone to her ear. She could hear jet engines in the background.

"Hi Jun…It's me Ken." He paused. "Jun I know I said some things that upset you when we went out to dinner…I…I…" He paused again awkwardly. "Shouldn't have pressured you to come with me…if it's over just say so… I don't know what went wrong between us…I….love…" His voice broke and then it took on a desperate tone that she'd never heard before. " Jun- please pick up the phone….please we just need to talk to-"

The message cut out. She put down the phone. "Ken, I do know…I'm so sorry." She realized she had been deliberately pushing him away. She had ignored some calls she thought would be Ken, she still felt confused about why she couldn't answer the phone if it was around the time he would call.

Jun had begun to feel like another person since she first discovered she had fallen pregnant. She had even begun to question her devotion to the team.

Slumping in her chair Jun put her hand over her growing belly, if Ken walked through the door now she'd fall into his arms and tell him. They could find a way to keep a child safe she thought. Sighing heavily she knew that wasn't about to happen.

Could she give up this child she wondered, walk away? Jun hadn't allowed those thoughts in her mind for since she walked out of the abortion clinic.

From using her books she managed to keep track of the progress, she had to be almost six months, but not quite she mused. Truthfully Jun couldn't be certain- the scan they did at the clinic indicated a different time frame from what she had figured out. But she couldn't risk a regular doctor.

Is this how Joe felt? All alone…with no one to turn to- or had he tried to find someone to confide in that night he invited her over for dinner…the way he looked at her…? She thought with a heavy heart.

"Well little one." She resolved for now. "It's just you and me, lets get this place opened up for the afternoon."

Jun got busy then; it helped her to not think about the inevitable.

She had changed the hours of the Snack J. to times when she'd have minimal food orders. Her income had dropped but she could survive. After all during the war she had to kick customers out at times when they got called in for duty.

Watching ladies come in for afternoon tea she thought about how much longer she continue to run the snack J on her own, in a matter of a few months she'd have to close the doors for a while.

Looking at her waistline Jun could really just see ball shape of her womb forming, from now on it would only grow bigger. So far she had managed to keep in shape with the walking machine she picked up on EBay and she still did her yoga exercises to keep flexible. The less fat she put on during the pregnancy the less she would have to try and deal with afterwards in trying to get her body back to normal again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Ken got on a supply transport heading out of the base- it would be days before he would reach any kind of civilization in this isolated place. But that wasn't why he had taken the opportunity to leave the base. He had information to follow up on. He felt he could close in on the Count Blue, the man wanting a good supply of weapons for a small army.

Trying to sleep during the long ride in the back of the army truck during a bumpy ride is really impossible, so he dozed.

He had only a month to go now before he would be going back home…home to his beloved airfield and shack, and Jun. Did she still love him? He deliberated. After all, she didn't seem to want to talk to him any more.

He stopped trying to call her a few months ago- he still looked at her picture every night, and then put it back under his pillow.

In his heart he had longed for peace only to find it unsettling at the same time. Did he just want peace for others, but not for himself? Ken questioned. Is that why he ran off for six months without a real thought for how she might have felt about it…been hurt by his actions? Is that the way to treat the woman he loves…just like his father did to his mother?

Ken couldn't answer those questions right now, so he turned his thoughts back to his mission. He knew the location, he'd flown over it one day ago, and keeping as high as he could in the sky he mentally mapped out the terrine.

A few hills jutting high out of the flat red sand plains with what looked to be caves in some parts… He hoped the source of information for this mission didn't lead him down another dead end path.

The transport jolted to a halt, waking Ken up out of his semi slumber. The sound of the driver's door opening made him put his hand over his newly acquired sniper gun.

The door opened, he tightened his grip on the weapon.

"Commander." The Dutch UN soldier addressed him before opening the doors.

Wise move. Ken thought.

"Private." Ken acknowledged him. The man opened the doors, Ken jumped out.

His next transport, an African villager stood waiting next to the worse excuse for a car he had ever seen.

"We're passing through Chad… Take care sir, this is an unstable land." The private said before he swapped with his fellow soldier for some rest time.

Ken walked over to the man and shook his hand with a friendly smile. "If it was a dark night I would have missed you."

"I'll take that as a compliment" He said finalizing the pass code and flashing his bright white teeth with a laugh, he held out a hand to introduce himself, "Jafaru."

His English sounded very good to Ken- he hoped his contacts would pull through with a good guide.

Ken could tell they were going to get on well.

"When I tell ya to duck, ya do it." Jafaru told him as they bumped along the dirt 'road' before them. "If day have big guns…watch out, doz rebels are bad news and day don't care about anyone."

Ken nodded abruptly. He found the same thing in other countries he'd been in over the years. Everyone wanting their piece of the pie, civilians paid the price for it.

"How long till we reach the location?" He asked trying not to swallow too much dust coming through the rust holes in the floor of the old car.

"We got two days travel, mainly because we have tah avoid attention." Jafaru informed him.

"Stops?" He queried.

"We stop in one village, small, not important to dem." Jafaru quickly glances at Ken.

"You take out dat new rebel group. Mah wife and kids be safe...den I get them outta this country…" His determined set jaw and black eyes told Ken why he had chosen to help him. For Jafaru- this is personal.

"Sure will." Ken promised He didn't know how it would all turn out, but he would do what he could to help Jafaru get his family to safety, and find his son.

Ken looked out at the desolate diverse landscape outside the dust covered window, out on the distance grass plain he watched a cheetah chase down a young Eland, the rest of the heard ran in panic while its mother tried to save it from the predator.

Looking out the front the windscreen he saw the approaching army truck in the far distance at the same time as Jafaru.

"Quickly, duck under seat, throw blanket over you." Jafaru instructed. "Day not likely to question me, but you…"

Ken understood, he picked up the coarsely woven blanket and pulled over his body while he shrank under the dash board of the car.

He after a while he heard the approaching heavy vehicles humming engine. Jafaru slowed down and came to stop, so did the Army truck.

Jafaru got out of the car- then he heard the creaking doors of the other vehicle, sounds of footsteps on in the dirt.

The two men began speaking in their native tongue…the voices drew closer and Ken tension coursed through his body, he began preparing himself to spring from his hiding place.

Jafaru said something to the other man, they both laughed…Ken's side door began to open.

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The pitch blackness of the dark night aided his cover as Joe moved with fluid stealth movements through a small temporary rebel army camp in the Chad, the most hostile country in all of Africa.

He couldn't believe the amount of rebel armies this small country has in one space, closing in on his target he slit a small hole in the canvas of one of the larger tents.

"…We have meeting with him." A man said, from the way held himself he had to be the leader of this crowd. Joe thought. One of the native rebels in a uniform that hung from his medium frame like it had been made for a larger man moved across his viewing hole. Joe wanted to poke him with his knife to make him move out of the way. He held back, knowing it would only blow his cover.

"Count Blue don't meet with anybody." Another deep voice with a hint of amusement reached his ears.

"He's not happy wit the last shipment…says it lacked what he ordered…"

"He expects us to deliver him weapons, so dats what we sent him."

"He not happy man…is angry, and he not a man to piss off." One of the men talking signed deeply. "Dis Count he don't like ta be seen…he sends that oda guy…but he pays on time…"

"Den when he be in the Camp?" His comrade asked.

"Not here, he meets us at the rock formations a day and half outta Abeche."

"Why there?" If Joe could see the man he figured he had a frown on his dark face.

"Because, we don't dare take too many men, or else we'll attract General Gibber's attention, damn him." The man thumped a table hard. "I need his cash, not his demands...He won't pay unless I fix is order…he wants explosives!"

Joe wanted to assassinate Count Blue- if he got rid of him now then he wouldn't have to worry about him rising up to become threat like Berg Katse and create his own organisation of terrorists.

The sound of truck made him shrink back into the shadows. He watched it roll to a halt and two prisoners being dragged from the back of it. One African man and the other man he knew. Ken.

What the hell is he doing here? Joe thought. He heard the team had been de-activated with Galactor gone.

The two men looked like they had been kicked around a lot, especially Ken. Joe shook his head. Ken's faking it. He thought a small smirk whispered across his lips. Pulling out his hand gun Joe watched them being dragged into the tent.

The man blocking his view finally moved.

"So what do we have here…?"The Commander of the rebel group stood up from behind his small table. Ken didn't move, Joe noticed.

Joe smirked again, he figure he was biding his time, working out how to how to get out of this situation alive.

The Commander laid a boot into Ken stomach, Ken rolled over like he was dead, this sent alarm bells off in Joe's mind. The he grabbed a fist full of his hair and pulled him up by it so he could look into his face.

"Jafaru, I warned ya…now you pay for it. I found out you working against your own people…helping spies like this man…you're not fit to call yourself one of us." The commander fumed, spitting in Jafaru's face. "Your wife and daughter, you won't ever see dem ever again."

Jafaru's face showed a tirade of emotions as his muscles flinched from the strain. He looked up slowly with a strong will into the Commanders eyes. "Touch dem and I'll kill ya."

I like this Jafaru, he has guts Joe thought. What's Ken problem? Move it Ken, what the hell are you mucking around for? He scolded.

The Commander coldly pulled out a gun and put it to Ken's head." He pays the price for your insolence...and so will your worthless son." Ken didn't move.

Joe quickly sized up his targets, and making the hole a bigger to fit the tip of his gun through. In a matter of seconds his targets began to full to the ground around Jafaru and Ken.

Jafaru with his bound hands pushed Ken out of the tent making him roll, and looking around for the sniper as he moved awkwardly, stumbling over his own feet in the rush to get out in the confusion. Joe lost sight of them for a moment while men ran frantically trying to find the sniper that just took out their commander.

Moving past the tent he finally got sight of them again, Ken finally began to stir, his body flinching in pain. Ken had the sharp edge of his birdrang, Jafaru took it and he sliced through the bonds like butter.

"What hell hit me." Ken asked wincing. "I felt something sting me and then-"

"They drugged us with slug pelts bro, during the fight… looks like dey gave ya a bigger dose, now gotta move." Jafaru said to him. "We getting outta dis camp." Groggily Ken agreed with him.

Joe trailed them in the shadows while Ken still stunned by the drugs staggered along side of Jafaru in the dark trying to keep out of sight.

Spotting a good distraction Joe aimed his gun at a petrol barrel on the other side of the small camp. The ripping explosion lit up the sky, briefly illuminating the black night it continued to rock everything drawing soldiers towards it away from Ken and Jafaru.

Ken indicated to an empty vehicle. "Get and I'm driving this time." Ken ordered. Jumping in behind the wheel.

"We've got some talking to do Jafaru." Ken warned him with his eyes. Jafaru looked at Ken silently while he started up the truck. The sound of the engine drowned out the voices, and in the mist of the confusion in the camp they drove away as fast as they could.

Joe decided aimed his gun at another barrel sending it sky high setting off more barrels to cover their escape.

Looks like its time for me to go. Joe told himself watching rebels call out to find the intruder.

Joe departed as quietly as he had come into the camp. Now that he knew the location of Count Blue's meeting place he had work to do.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ken put his foot to the floor stirring up more dust as they drove into the unknown landscape, avoiding wild life along the way.

"Jafaru, do you know where we are?" Ken looked at him sideways. They hadn't spoken a word in almost an hour. There were no signs of them being followed so he relaxed a little and slowed down.

"I was wonderin' when you were gonna ask." He said a smile creeping across his dark features. "That was some move you did back there…"

Ken grimaced, he was almost dead, that's what almost happened, he should have been more careful he thought tightening his grip on the large steering wheel of the old army truck.

Jun would have been lucky to have his body sent back home. He pushed that thought from his mind. He had to stay focused on the mission.

"I did what I had to do." Ken said containing some of his anger. Pretending to stay unconscious Ken heard the conversation about Count Blue as they were dragged into the tent- he wasn't prepared for the sudden paralyse that hit him.

"Who drugged ma again? Jafaru…was it you?" He said through gritted teeth.

"No." Jafaru confessed. "A guard hit a central nerve to stop you from fighting, an old trick from the tribal days of hardened warriors."

Ken slammed on the breaks bringing to sudden jolting halt. A Rhino stood in front of them in the darkness. The force of the sudden braking slammed Jafaru against the dash board Ken grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him back.

"What," Jafaru's fierce eyes mirrored his. "Its just a Rhino. "

Ken could feel Jafaru's hot breath on his face. "Yeah I can see that, but who's following us?" Jafaru looked confused.

"I was getting us out…" Jafaru told him, not even trying to move out of his tight grasp. "I didn't think he'd put a gun to ya head…"

Ken let go of his shirt. "I know, but someone else started shooting."

"Tell me about it, I thought we were next on that snipers list. Does this never end?" Jafaru thumped the dash board in frustration as Ken put the car into gear and accelerated.

They no better than Galactor… I thought when the Science Ninja Team blew dem all up…got rid of dem. I'd be a free man." Jafaru's voice cracked and his eyes became moist- Ken could see the deep pain in them.

"What did you do for Galactor?" Ken asked quietly.

" A long time ago I was a young scientist for the ISO…I wanted tah help people…den one day, Galactor captured a few of us moving wit out families to another location. Day forced us to work for dem. threatened to harm our kids and wives if we didn't."

Ken listened, he knew about captured scientist being forced to do research and create technology for the organisation. "I'm listening Jafaru."

So Jafaru poured out his heart. "When Galactor fell apart we finally got out of there…" His voice broke with grief." But my boy…he's been gone a long time…two years. One day some goons came to the base family camps and took the young boys to train them to fight. He would be 12 yrs old now. Mah wife, she cries everyday for him. I learned dat some of dah soldiers from Galactor, now work for rebels…"

Jafaru stared with vacant eyes out the front windscreen into the dark night. Ken pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Your Commander was a sloppy man Jafaru, he wrote down his meeting time and place…and mapped it. If you want me to help you find your son, then get me to that location."

"Done deal…mah wife and daughter…I hope they safe where I left them" Jafaru said more to himself than Ken. "Dat Commander, he didn't know shit. Did you pick his pocket?"

Ken grinned and nodded.

"Then who started the shooting?" Ken mused out loud.

"Dunno, someone let off a lose shot I guess, over excited about some action." Jafaru shrugged his shoulders. Ken began to wonder if his 'friend' had shown up again.

"Those petrol barrels exploding couldn't have been an accident." Ken pointed out to his guide. "They need other elements to cause dem to explode."

"I thought dat too…" Jafaru looked to analysing the events of the night. "Do ya think he'd be following us?"

"I'm not sure." Ken said looking into the rear vision mirror.

"We need to get to that location, and then we can look for your son together." Ken promised.

"Why are you so willing to help me find him?" Jafaru eyes narrowed. Dats my personal business, you're paying me good money to be your guide."

"You're not doing so well on your own, besides I have lost people I loved to Galactor, Its only right that I help you find him." Ken thought about his father, and then Joe. And all the pain they had suffered in the war against that evil organisation.

"Then it's a deal, you're a rare kind of person Ken. Not many people would help so willingly." Jafaru extended his hand to Ken. They shook hands to close the agreement.

Ken knew it would delay his return to Utoland if he helped Jafaru, but he couldn't just walk out on him.

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Jun's back ached, she straightened up and putting a hand on her lower back for support. Signing put away the cleaning equipment for the floor in the small store room and waddled to turn the sign for the snack J to closed.

Taking her Keys she decided to go for a walk to the park instead and enjoy some of the late afternoon warmth.

The ten minute walk seemed to take forever, but she needed the fresh air and sitting would only make her back ache worse. Being comfortable seemed to be a thing of the past. She put a hand over her swollen abdomen.

The unusually warm day in the winter had brought out a lot of people Jun noticed walking down the pathway towards the centre of the park.

Stopping at a bench she knew well she decided to sit and rest for a few moments. Ken had often sat next to her on this bench. Her first date with him when they became deactivated had ended with him holding her close in his arms late one night…

Those memories warmed her heart and brought a sting of pain at the same time. They didn't talk that night while sitting on the bench- He just sat here holding her close in his arms, looking up into the night sky. She remembered the feeling of him tilting her chin she he could look into her face, the way his warm lips felt on hers during their first kiss, how much he wanted her, his kiss gentle yet passionate, she could feel it even now.

Later, he walked her back to the loft, and slept on the couch, that morning she woke up to find him sleeping on the floor next to her bed with just a cushion from the couch under his head…

The sound of a little girl shouting to her mother to watch her do a dance she had just made up brought Jun back to reality. Loneliness had become a way of life for Jun since she discovered she was pregnant, she yearned for some sense of normality to come back into it.

She observed another couple a few years older pushing a pram, the baby inside let out a wale and the father walked around the front to comfort the tiny baby inside.

With a heavy heart Jun looked away, that would be the fantasy she thought, putting herself with Ken in their place. She stood up trying to numb the rush of sadness she felt for the child she carried under her heart. She needed to keep occupied- it's time to open the Joint again. She thought walking back in the direction of her home.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It had taken them three days to cross the open grass plains, avoiding the local wildlife had been a hassle during the journey subtly reminding Ken of the time Joe competed in the race across Africa. Only the wildlife had been Galactor mecha trying to disrupt the race, he remembered how Joe isolated himself for weeks after the death of Lucy. Jun eventually managed to drag him out of his state of depression because he couldn't save Lucy.

Jafaru offered him some stale bread, Ken took it because it was the only food they had in truck besides some crackers and cheese. Fortune for them they had a good supply of water.

Ken looked at the fuel gauge. "We're almost out, with one reserve." He indicated.

"According to this map, we're almost there." Jafaru's accent had changed over the past day Ken noted with a raised eyebrow.

Jafaru didn't miss his quizzical brow.

"The accent just made me fit in more with the rebels- I was educated at Oxford University…England. I came home to Chad to try and make a difference, helping the environment, finding ways with the ISO to grow crops with very little water." His face dropped, "I met Aziza my wife in a small village… she had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen, she was washing clothes in bucket…I felt draw to her like a magnet, and she spoke to me in perfect English…I was thrown out by it and she laughed…smart woman." He sighed at a memory, and then looked back at his map. "Do you have a family Ken?" He asked.

"We have to capture Count Blue. I want to find out about his operation." Ken said avoiding the question and stopping the truck at the bottom of a small hill. He jumped out and took out the binoculars he found in the glove box.

Crawling up to the crest of the grassy hill with Jafaru beside him he looked through the binoculars. The plains ended not far from the other side of the hill. From his magnified view he could see activity further out in the red desert in front of him. The towering hills looked like and after thought on the flat plain surrounding them.

"It looks like that's the meeting point." Ken observed. "I see three trucks, with the canvas pulled back." Swinging the binoculars around he spotted someone that stood out among the crowd of military men.

A crop of shoulder length white hair was all he could see, and a long dark cape with colours washed through it.

"Turn around…" Ken scolded the man through his binoculars. Instead he walked away from him with his long cape kicking up dust and surrounded by guards towards the hill close by and into what looked like a cave.

"We can't drive in closer, they'll not only hear us, but see us as well." Ken told Jafaru.

"Figures, this whole area is hostile like you wouldn't believe. The plains make this ideal for a weapons exchange, no place to hide extra troops." Jafaru indicated with a wave of his hand.

"Lets go, we can sneak in closer and get a look at this guy, I bet he has more trucks and troops on the other side of that hill." Ken said taking one last look before they began to make their way in closer on foot using the odd tree and large rocks for cover. The main enemy Ken figured was the burning sun above them. He adjusted the camouflage cap on his head. The only real protection he had from the burning sun.

Drawing closer he heard some of the conversation between the troops on watch. The rebels were late and Count Blue didn't appear happy about it, from what he understood of their conversation.

They were just about to knock out the guards and steal the uniforms when Ken heard an explosion close to the hill. Cursing he pulled Jafaru behind him and they took cover next to one of the trucks.

Ken gritted his teeth in seething anger when he spotted the man dressed in black on the hill aiming a hand held rocket at the cave entrance Count Blue walked into.

"Not this time damn it." He snarled spotting the hand held rocket launcher in the back of the truck. Count Blue looked prepared at least for any hostiles he might encounter Ken thought as he grabbed it and quickly loaded it with a rocket aimed it at the man dressed in black on the hill.

"I want Count Blue alive and this is for _pissing me off_…" Ken mentally shouted at his shadow while he pulled the trigger and the rocket left for its target. The force of the rocket launching threw him onto his back.

Ken watched it explode not far from the familiar man, sending him sprawling down the hillside. Ken thought for a moment he might have killed him since he disappeared in a cloud of dust and debris. Joe would have acted that way Ken thought. It did feel good just to pull the trigger and not think about, but wasn't a habit Ken wanted to develop.

"Whoever that guy was, he's one trigger happy bastard did you get my message?" Ken swore shaking his head and letting out a long breath, this manic and Joe had a lot in common he thought of the irony of it, and for once he almost smiled at Joe's memory and the male brotherly bonding times they had even in the mist of war.

Jafaru began pulling on his sleeve and pointing out further into the desert plain. "Yeah I bet that guy just shit himself seeing that rocket coming straight for him. Looks like they have company…" Jafaru casually said.

Ken watched the chaos breakout around them. He looked over plains past Jafaru's pointing finger to see a contingent of army vehicles heading straight for the temporary camp.

"They're not the rebels with the weapons for Count Blue, that's the opposition." Jafaru informed him. "Looks like they decided to crash the party."

"Shit," Ken swore under his breath, he couldn't see Count Blue anywhere. The soldiers didn't seem to notice them as they ran towards the trucks.

Ken's lips drew into a smirk. "They think those other rebel's shot at the hill…Good it works to our advantage."

Taking advantage of the chaos around them Ken and Jafaru began to make their way towards the cave.

The sudden gush of gusting wind and dust made him stop in his tracks as three helicopters lifted off the ground from just behind the hill. The smaller one had a man with white hair Count Blue. The men left piled onto the trucks, Ken and Jafaru took cover close to the hill.

Two of the larger choppers with soldiers hanging out the sides headed towards the approaching army. Ken could tell what Count Blue must have ordered. He was giving the men on the ground a chance to escape.

"Lets go." Ken ordered Jafaru. "Count Blue just flew off into the sunset."

Ken never felt so angry- he wanted to find that moron who had been following him and punch him hard in the mouth for his interference. No one had infuriated him like that since the day he had tried to get Joe to tell him why he missed several easy targets and they ended up in fight over it.

Waiting for the first opportunity they could get they bolted towards the truck they had left. Ken would find a way of picking up Count Blues trail again…

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Jun looked up the stairwell that led to the loft it looked like such a long hike. The weeks seemed to be getting longer, and she couldn't wait to get her body back to normal.

She could feel the aching in her back and legs, she had no choice but to walk up the stairs, and the stairs always made it worse. Taking a deep breath she began to climb them slowly, she put a hand on her huge stomach, the baby had been kicking her hard for almost and hour. After what seemed like a lifetime she reached the top of the stairs.

A mild pain went through her abdomen. That had happened about half an hour before Jun noted. I could mean anything she figured. Stopping to catch her breath she looked at the walking machine.

"I'm over doing it…" She muttered. "I have to close the Snack J for a while."

Jun had put it off for as long as she could, but the inevitable was approaching and she knew she couldn't keep pushing like she had been for the past few months.

Waddling to her bedroom Jun almost jumped in without taking off her clothes, it just looked so inviting and she felt so tired and sore. Heart burn had plagued her at night since she became so big in the last month, and the baby liked to kick her at all times of the night waking her at odd hours.

"Can you let me get _some_ sleep tonight?" She pleaded looking down at her abdomen.

Her answer was just a subtle kick.

Struggling into her maternity nightdress Jun finally climbed into bed, hugging the long pillow she used to support her abdomen and fidgeted to get comfortable. Jun tried not to let herself become to attached to this baby. She often tried to think of it as a growing foetus. Closing her eyes tight she ignored the little kicks that had become softer.

Sleep…she needed to get some sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

For three weeks Ken and Jafaru tried to find the trail again for Count Blue, but without any success, they trail had gone cold. Along the way they had gathered information about Jafaru's son from several villages they had stopped in for supplies and rest. It looked like several groups had taken on former Galactor troops, some fitting the description of young boys recruited towards the end of the war.

"If we go to this camp, we may just find him." Ken told Jafaru one evening over dinner, Jafaru had a far away look on his face.

"What's bothering you?" Ken asked looking at his friend.

"Just wondering if he'll know me when he see's me…if he'll blame me…think I abandoned him." Jafaru looked haunted, they had come so close, and Ken couldn't let him lose hope.

"My father left me when I was young…one day we found each other for a short time." Ken the loss he still felt creep into his voice, looking at Jafaru over the small camp fire. "I forgave him eventually… when we find your son, just give it time to heal the wounds between you."

Slowly Jafaru looked at him, grief for his lost child evident in his face. "I need sleep, tomorrow…tomorrow I hope this is the camp we find him in…and I'm scared of it all at the same time."

"I do too Jafaru…" Ken said watching the haunted man climb into the back of the truck to find his sleeping bag. Ken wouldn't be long, he took the time to think about the last moments he had with his father. At his fathers grave he vowed never to do the same thing to his own flesh and blood, and he intended to keep that promise.

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Intense pain jolted her out of her sleep and Jun held onto her abdomen. She had felt this a few hours before, but not this intense, she had put down to her doing to much with trying to keep the snack J open. Could it be time yet? She thought. While pushing her body up into a sitting position on the side of the bed, her feet just touching the ground.

A few minutes later the pain hit her again in the lower part of her abdomen. She had a feeling her labour had started. Walking over to the phone in the living room she went to dial the number of a taxi company she kept handy when the pain hit her harder again and she crumbled to floor. This one lasted long and had become stronger. Then she felt something wet run down between her legs. Taking the portable phone she made it just in time to the bathroom as more fluid ran out of her and onto the floor. In a state of panic and worry for her baby Jun called the emergency number for and ambulance instead.

"I'm all alone and I'm about to have a baby in my bathroom…please send an ambulance to the Snack J on Spectra Street. I'm in the loft upstairs." she said in between gasps to the woman on the other end of the phone working to suppress her rising panic.

"We'll send one right away, hang on…keep on the line." The woman said to her.

"I should have gone to a doctor….I was so _stupid_…I…" She cursed herself and cried as the pain intensified she wiped the sweat of her forehead. "Ken…"she whispered. I should have told you…I could have put our baby in danger. She thought, cursing her actions over the past months.

"Miss…I'm Jodie…what's your name?" Jodie's voice sounded.

"J…Jun…" She managed between bouts of pain.

"Jun, can you tell me how far apart the pains are." She asked calmly.

"I think my water just broke, its all over my bathroom floor and…and…" She couldn't talk any more as the pain hit her again, she felt the baby drop lower.

Was she about to give birth all alone on her bathroom floor all alone? Jun felt tears running down her cheeks.

"Jun can I call the father of your child?" She inquired politely.

"No…Its just me." she told Jodie quietly, letting another damn of tears roll down her face. Just me, she thought…he…he's not…with me any more. The words caught in her throat, she couldn't say them out loud.

The distant sound of an ambulance siren came rapidly closer. "Tell them I have a spare Key…its hidden next to the garage door, in a plant box."

"I'm conveying that now Jun…The driver says they are coming in now…hold on." Jodie told her.

"Thank you Jodie." Jun said as the bathroom door opened. A young woman and two men stepped in.

"Her waters have broken…" The young girl quickly examined her as the men lifted Jun up onto the stretcher. "You name is Jun?" The girl with dark brown hair and soft brown eyes said looking kindly into her face. Jun just nodded to let her know she understood. "I'm Cassie, I'll look after you." Cassie reassured her.

"We have to move fast…" One of the men said as Jun cried out in pain. Jun felt herself go into a daze of pain, yet she could felt in tune with her body all at the same time.

Jun felt them push the trolley into the ambulance, Cassie jumped in beside her along with the other man." I'm Ben." He said taking a seat beside Cassie.

Jun tried to sit up, the she felt something pushing…"I think the baby's coming…" she told them. Calmly Cassie checked her progress and nodded.

"Tell Ryan to pull over somewhere…this baby won't wait…" Cassie said to Ben. Ben switched on the internal communications. Ryan pulled over the ambulance on the side of the highway leading into Utoland city.

"Ok Jun…Push…" Cassie instructed. Ben supported her so she could sit up more. Jun pushed, the pain became unbearable. "Keep pushing Jun, you don't have much water left…"

With one last effort Jun pushed for all she was worth, the piecing sound of a new born cry caught her ear, the rush of pain eased. "Is…is the baby okay?" She asked nervously.

"He's healthy…A baby boy with ten fingers and ten toes. Congratulations…" Cassie said her smiling broadly, she quickly tied off the umbilical cord. "I have just a few more things to do yet, so stay still Jun…your lucky, you don't need stitches."

Jun gingerly took him into her arms, he looked so fresh, still covered in the blood from her womb, squirming as he screwed up his pudgy face and let out another cry. Jun tried to see if either of them was in him but his screwed up face made it hard for her to tell, he squinted his eyes and tried to focus on her and then he continued to cry.

Her moment of sheer joy marred by the sadness she had carried for months, painful tears stung her eyes, the ambulance medical team mistook her reaction for overwhelming happiness.

"Welcome to the world…I'm Jun." She said quietly. He looks so tiny, she thought, little hands and feet like a doll.

Ben looked pleased with the results of the birth. "We need to get the two of you to hospital for a check up. I'll put him in his special bed till we get there."

She handed him over to Ben and for the rest of the journey to the hospital.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Wait," Ken clasp Jafaru's arm tightly to stop him from moving like he detected he was about to do. "Do you see him?"

"Yes, that's my son… Cheikh." His lips pulled tight in anger, Cheikh carried a rifle- and a stern set look on his young dark face making him look older than twelve.

"Darkness would make a better cover." Ken said looking at Jafaru. From his expression Ken didn't want to risk waiting, Jafaru might just get it into his head to go alone.

The sounds of panic and gunfire caught their attention from the far side of the camp. Violence seemed to follow him everywhere Ken observed.

"Jafaru, you need to get his attention," Ken instructed moving in closer to Cheikh using a building for cover.

Jafaru walked out into the open, Cheikh was looking in the direction of the gunfire and panicked screams of soldiers as fighting broke out somewhere in the camp.

"Cheikh." Jafaru said urgently to the young boy.

Cheikh turned around fast pointing his gun at his father, from his apprehensive stance and his tight facial expression it like he didn't recognise his father.

"It's me Cheikh, your father…" Jafaru said putting out an open hand hoping he would put the weapon down and run to him, but Cheikh just stared at him cocking the gun and aiming at Jafaru.

"Jafaru, you can't trust-"Ken tried to reason, the boy's finger trembled on the trigger Ken saw the conflicting emotions in the young boy's eyes.

"I know my own son, stay out of this…" Jafaru's angry pained voice left no room for arguments.

Jafaru pleaded with his son. "Put the gun down Cheikh, please…" Anguished tears coursed down Jafaru's face as he watched his son deliberate wether or not to kill his own father.

"Cheikh, your mother…she wants you to come home…please, don't do this." Jafaru implored him.

Cheikh began to tremble, his young face fought with emotions, he threw down the gun with a cry of pent up anger and ran into the bushes.

Jafaru ran after him followed by Ken, they didn't run very far, Jafaru found him curled up hunched close to a tree crying uncontrollably.

Gently Jafaru put his arms around him in a tight embrace, reassuring him that he wasn't about to leave him here. Cheikh looked so young in his father's arms, so young and frightened. Ken couldn't imagine what he had been through over the past two years.

"We have to go…" Ken told them. The sounds of the fighting drew closer to their location.

Jafaru looked up at him with tear stained eyes. Gently he gathered his son in his arms and they used the bushes for cover to escape from the rebel camp.

"Dad, I'm sorry…" Cheikh kept saying his once innocent eyes looked haunted. Jafaru kept telling him he loved him, and he didn't blame him for what happened.

Starting up the truck, Ken put his foot to the floor stirring up dust as they drove away from the continuing violence unfolding behind them.

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Only a few hours old Jun's son slept quietly in her arms, a healthy full term baby weighing 61/2 pounds.

A morning duty nurse came in to bring her some food and water. Jun accepted it gratefully.

"Do you have a name for him?" She inquired casually, putting the try into the side table.

"Dyami…" She told her. "I named him Dyami."

"That's unusual." She said politely smiling. Jun figured the nurses knew about Jun's decision by now.

"It suits him." She told the nurse looking back at his new born sleepy face.

The older woman didn't say any more. "There's a social worker from Utoland city permanent care services here to see you. She said you had contacted her. Do you want me to show her in?"

"Yes please show her in, thank you for the food." Jun said trying to smile.

A tall slight woman with short blonde hair walked into the private room bed room.

"Jun, I'm Val." She said smiling warmly. Jun liked her instantly.

"Val…this is Dyami." She introduced them. Val walked over and looked at him.

"He looks healthy." She sat down beside the bed. "Jun, I'm told you want to give him up for adoption." Val's kind voice got the point with offending Jun. She felt grateful for it, no small talk trying to get to real reason she was here.

"Yes…I can't look after him. He needs a mother and father that can." Jun's said firmly.

"Have you given this much thought?" Val looked into her eyes and waited.

"I have, but I know when I looked at him he deserves more than I can give him…" Jun looked at the peacefully sleeping baby boy with tufts of black fine hair- she could see a lot of Ken in him already. He had his clear blue eyes and nose, her mouth… but then babies always had blue eyes to start with, or so she read in a book. Dyami opened his blue eyes slightly and squirmed in her arms, softly cried and then went back to sleep.

"I'll leave here soon, do you have someone who can take care of a new born baby?" Jun bit her bottom lip. She began to feel the reality of her decision to walk out of the hospital without him.

"I do she's a lady who is a qualified foster carer, Jun here's my card. I need some contact details from you… we need to make sure this is what you really want to do." Val pulled out the card and sat it next to her.

"They have my contact number and address at the nurses station." Jun informed her. "I…" Jun wanted to say she didn't want them kept on record in the hospital. She had cash put aside to pay for the medical bill. She at least found out how much she'd need through inquires.

"Jun everything involving you and Dyami is confidential. We just need to establish what's best for him and for you at this stage." Val reassured.

"Take you time Jun, leave when you're ready." She told her before leaving her alone again with Dyami.

"I don't know what to say to you…Ken, your father doesn't know about you, so don't blame him." She said trying to keep her emotions in check. "I… just hope you understand when you get older…I'll find you a good mother and father…"She promised. A tear managed to escape from her eye. Her mother left her when she was only a few hours old on the doorstep of an orphanage. No note, only a piece of paper with Jun. Written on it.

Now she was about to do the same thing to her son, walk out on him only a few hours old.

She pressed the button for the nurse to come into the room. The same one came back into the room. Jun cuddled him one last time before she handed him over to her. She got off the bed, and put on the clothes from the bag the ambulance man picked up from the top of the stairs that she had ready to go.

Walking out the doors of the hospital she didn't allow herself to look back she couldn't, feeling sore and tired. And empty, she had all the pain of giving birth and no baby to hold and call her own. She hailed a taxi outside Jun got in for the ride back to the Snack J. She had a bathroom to clean up, and life to rebuild.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Jumping out of the truck from his long trip back to the base Ken knew he'd be spending part of the day writing reports back to on his findings in Chad. He took the time to make sure Jafaru and his son had been reunited with his wife and daughter and through he helped them leave the country and become part of the ISO again.

The two unexpected visitors standing close to one of the hangers filled him with the first piece of happiness he had felt in the months since he had left Utoland for African continent.

"Aniki!" Jinpei called out in excitement and ran over to him with Ryu in tow. Jinpei looked behind him with a searching look on his young face, and then he smiled again at Ken.

"Hey Jinpei, good to see you and Ryu." He clasped Ryu's hand as he tried to catch his breath and smile at the same time, Jinpei just nudged him.

"Gonna tell Aniki about that pretty blond girl you met with a sweet smile…and you couldn't keep your eyes off her…" Jinpei teased. Ryu blushed, and then began to stammer something about Jinpei shutting his big mouth for once.

"Leave him alone Jinpei." Ken chuckled and he put his hand on the Swallows shoulder while giving the owl a reassuring look that he wasn't about to start pressuring him into telling him details.

"Why don't we go and get something to eat." Ken suggested feeling the rumbling in his stomach grow louder.

"I'm all for that." Ryu muttered in relief following along behind them to main cafeteria on the base.

Ken led the way…

A short while later they had trays of food in their hands and managed to find a table in the crowded cafeteria.

"So," Ken looked at the two of them curiously." What brings you both here?"

"I was my idea." Jinpei piped up with a mouth full of food.

"Jin, speak when you don't have a mouth full of food." Ken chided him.

"Now you're starting to sound like sis…" He moaned and rolled his eyes. "Speaking of sis, why isn't she here?"

Ken looked at him sharply. "You knew she didn't want to come here." He kept his tone guarded, not wanting to reveal the pain he had inside at his constant phone calls being ignored. "Besides Jin, haven't you been at the Snack J for the past few months, you should know-"He stopped talking when he saw Jinpei's confused expression.

"I went with Ryu to visit his dad and Senji not long after you left. She told me she would come here to be with you…that's why we decided to come here and catch up the both of you." Jinpei said looking at Ryu. "She told me she was alright and not to worry, she would be leaving soon…"

Ken put down his fork and looked at his plate of food, losing his appetite." Well she didn't come here…"

Jinpei's eyes became sympathetic. "Awe Aniki, she was so cut up about you going away, she began eating all this junk food and getting fat-"He stopped talking when Ken looked up at abruptly him leaning in closer to Jinpei, Ryu shrugged and kept eating.

"She what?" He asked again with an edge of anger coming into his voice, knowing how well Jun looked after her figure and maintained her level of fitness, let alone say to Jinpei what was now an obvious lie.

Jinpei looked taken aback by Ken's reaction. "Aniki…"

"She's not here Jinpei, I called the Snack J and no one answered…" He began to go over in his mind. Something is glaringly wrong. He thought. Jun is acting so out of character, nothing seemed to add up.

He'd been down this road before with Joe- when he tried to get him tell him why he missed an obvious shot…that thought still caused him endless pain and frustration, knowing he could have prevented his death if he knew about his illness. Even if the doctor told him countless times Joe would have died anyway.

"Tell more about what happened after I left." He said evenly looking at the two team members sitting in front of him.

Jinpei shrugged his shoulders. "Most things were normal back home before I left, Jun looked really sad, and then she began eating all of this junk food…and began to get fatter. I told her she should stop…she just looked different for some reason…I…shouldn't have left sis…" Jinpei let out a small sob.

Ryu's eyes turned to sympathy for him. "Jin, I'm sure she's alright, you know maybe she decided to go on a short holiday or something…"

Ken felt the blood drain from him, a sudden cold crept in as Jinpei spoke. Jun couldn't be pregnant he thought questioning his own actions during the past few months- and she tried to tell him that night at dinner…could it be the reason she changed he mused.

"I have to go." Ken said abruptly standing up breaking out of his thoughts fast.

"Where are you going Ken?" Ryu asked finishing his plate of food.

"Back to Utoland." He said over his shoulder as he ran for his plane. "Get my gear from the barracks and head for home." Ken ordered.

Ken had to know if his conclusions were true, and the sense of urgency grew as he jumped in started up the plane.

If it was the truth, then she'd have a short time to go before she had the baby, if she fell pregnant on their holiday. It would have been the most likely time since he went to Burma- she began acting a little odd towards him when he came home. Ken reasoned in his mind.

She'd _have _to close the Snack J for a while…

Ryu and Jinpei looked bewildered as they ran into the hanger only to see Ken taxying the small white plane out. He waved briefly, and then headed out onto the runway for the journey home.

* * *

It had been a busy past few weeks for Jun, which came more as a relief to her to have something to take her mind of the aching loss she felt inside of her heart, she still hadn't totally come to terms with giving him up, she hadn't signed the papers to officially surrender him that still needed to be finalized at Val's office regarding his future. Jun still had the option of bringing him home, if things looked be settling down then she decided she could. Ken didn't have to support her financially- Jun didn't want to tie him down like that.

The past few weeks she had been doing the exercises that the nurses in the hospital had shown. Bringing her waist line back under control, and everyday she thought about Dyami, how he's doing, and if she should go and see him. All she had to was call Val to arrange a visit…

She bit her bottom lip as she thought about the things she had to do for him, was it to soon to visit him? She thought wiping off another table, she couldn't become too attached to him if chose to go through with her original plan.

A small crowd of ladies walked through the door…sighing softly she prepared for another rush.

Every fibre of her being wanted to take Dyami back home and find a way to raise him herself- after all she raised Jinpei didn't she. This was different. She thought, letting out a drawn breath.

The door bell sounded and another customer walked in, at first Jun didn't look up. Then from the corner of her eye she saw the patron take a seat at his usual warn seat at the bar.

Her heart began to race- slowly she looked up into a set of clear blue eyes watching her, studying her every move. Ken didn't say a word- he just stared at her like he expected to see something.

Jun walked behind the bar ignoring the other customers, watching him to whole time.

I had forgotten how handsome Ken really is, she thought. The desire to run her fingers through his thick dark hair took her by surprise, and how much she wanted to just hold him and explain why things were different now between them.

Would he understand why she didn't tell him before he left? She wondered.

"How have you been?" She asked trying to break down some the barrier of the months they had spent apart.

"Good… and you?" He asked quietly.

"Busy, the business picked up…"Jun said casually putting the wash cloth in sink and poured him a drink of cola, she placed it in front of him. Trying not to let her hands shake from the rush of butterflies to her stomach, after all these months Ken still had that affect on her.

He looked down into his glass- she could see a solemn expression on his face. "So I hear, some ladies outside commented on how the Snack J has been consistently open for months…a popular place to come to now."

"Ahhh, yes…I ahhh-" Jun didn't know what to say.

She heard him let out a long slow breath looking at his face she could feel his inner torment. "Jun, what's happening to us?"

She stared down at her hands- she just couldn't get the right words past her lips. "I…" She stammered- the words she needed to say stuck in her throat.

Ken's eyes became haunted from memories of the early days of their relationship. "When the war ended we could talk about anything…this isn't like you Jun…" He took a long sip of his soda and put the glass down firmly onto the counter, pursed his lips and waited.

"What do you mean Ken…you went away to Africa, so it's been a while since had the chance-"Jun tried to act normal, she began to wonder if he could see right through her. After all Ken knew her better than anyone else.

"You have been avoiding my phone calls." His eyes darkened.

She tried to still her wildly beating heart, she should have known it would come back to haunt her, Ken's not a fool she thought. His natural perception is what saved them on many missions.

"What do you want to talk about?" She said looking away from his penetrating blue gaze.

"Why I called here for months and you didn't _bother_ to pick up the phone?" He said.

"It just could have been the times you called…I have very been busy…" Jun covered too quickly.

"Busy doing what? Running the Snack J, going out with your friends? Ignoring me…" His voice held restrained anger.

"Ken my whole world is-"She started to say, looking for the words to tell him about his son.

"…So we go back to that again? It all about you…all about what you want." Ken sounded hurt.

"No… Ken there's something I have to tell you." Jun pleaded.

Ken sat back in his seat- anger still apparent in his eyes.

An uneasy silence fell between them. A customer called out to her for some service impatiently. Jun hesitated, holding Ken's gaze but not speaking. Without another word she ran over to take the order, trying not to look back at his eyes boring into her back. This is not the right time, her inner voice screamed out.

Her customer brought her out of her unease for a moment. "Three lattes and two hot chocolates." Jun repeated the order while she jotted it down on her order pad.

"I'll have a piece of chocolate cake too." The little three year old boy piped up looking at his mother with pleading eyes. His mother smiled and indicated that he could have it.

Jun walked back with a briskly to the bar.

"So, what's the real reason then, that you didn't want to come with me?" His face softened a fraction.

"I just didn't want to leave Utoland. Is there something wrong with me having a life of my own choosing?" Jun biting her bottom lip, quickly picking up a cloth and she began to wipe the bench to for the twentieth time…busy keep busy, her inner voice repeated, you can handle it if you keep busy…

Ken gently took hold of her hands forcing her to stop and let go of the washcloth, she forced herself to look into his searching his eyes.

Jun's resolve to keep silent began to ebb away looking into the depths of his eyes.

"Ken, we do need to talk about a lot of things, this isn't the place…" She knew it was cryptic.

Deep inside of her she yearned for him to jump over the counter like he did the day after they first made love when he came back from a mail run and kiss her, he smile affectionately and playfully nuzzle her neck making her giggle hysterically, and then he would tell her how much he loves her.

His words brought her back to reality. "We have drifted apart Jun… maybe it was a mistake that we got together." She saw deep pain enter his eyes.

If he stared into her eyes any longer she would pour out the truth. Pulling in the desire she felt to be in his arms, meant telling him the truth. Here and now.

She wanted to- she just had to time it right. In the past few months she had learned a lot about controlling her own emotions and words.

She gradually became conscious that she had been pulling away from his grasp on her hands- Ken must have felt it as he let go of her hands.

"If this what you want…" Ken's arms dropped to his side.

"Ken, a lot has changed since you left-" Jun felt desperate.

"Yes it has, we…just…" He agreed in a firm tone and he looked away for a minute shutting his eyes tight. Her customer at the table wanting the coffee's called out to her again- absently she began to heat up the coffee machine.

"I don't know how to say it." Jun fumbled with the milk as she measured it in the silver metal jug.

"Then just say it." Ken said. "If you don't I will…"

She felt her blood drain from her face, slowly she looked at him.

"I have something else you need to know too." Ken's face became neutral.

"What?" Jun asked in shock at his change in tone.

"We start training again in a few weeks…full combat, all the equipment." Ken answered.

She gasped almost spilling hot milk on her hands as frothy hot milk overflowed from the jug. She knew what he meant by that.

Ken's face looked haunted again, every action he made now had that controlled way he used to guard his emotions and maintain complete control over them. His face held the expression he often had when they were in the middle of a desperate part of a mission. Calm and controlled, the slight tense set of his lips told her he knew what he was doing. Ken had made a decision, about them. She knew him well enough to read his body language.

"There are serious threats out there in the world, we need to be ready and we haven't trained in months…" He said in a distantly, she felt like he was talking to her through water.

"I'll be in touch when you're required." He said coolly, bringing her back to pouring the Cappuccino's.

From the corner of her eye she watch him stand up to leave, he looked like he wanted to say something else, but he didn't.

Jun felt tears sting her eyes, his words cemented Dyami's future, and she couldn't raise him. She couldn't go and bring him back into her life or Ken's, their son would only be in danger she knew that now.

She had to accept it as she watched Ken walked towards the door, and he didn't look back. Jun felt an wall invisible brick wall rising up between them.

"I'll be there." She told his back.

He stopped with his hand firmly on the door. "I know…" His voice broke. Then he opened it and walked out without looking back.

Wordless she let her hands rest on the bar dropping her head and fighting the inner pain that threatened to take over, then she began the learned process of burying it again so she didn't have to deal with it.

She couldn't talk about Dyami, she'd only said his name once out loud and it clenched her heart so hard it hurt like a knife. _Something_ stopped her from speaking to Ken, and another voice screamed at her that he should know about Dyami. Run after him, tell him…

The clanging of the door signalled the end of their relationship as it slammed shut behind him she tried to keep her composure while people stared at her, but she couldn't.

She'd made the choice months ago to keep the baby when she could have aborted it. That's why she couldn't tell Ken at first, she didn't want anyone changing her mind. The truth of some of her actions stood out in front of her and now.

One day she hoped Dyami and Ken would forgive her.

Suddenly the events of the past weeks came crashing down as she walked over and turned the sign to closed on the door, she began to robotically serve the last customers, after what seemed like and eternity the last one walked out the door. She didn't even bother to clean up like she ritually did every night.

She ran upstairs unable to face anyone and she threw herself onto her bed unbearable pain searing through her as she punched her pillow to release it.

Eventually she stopped hitting it, soft white plumes of swans down feathers escaped from it in the half light of the room. Feeling emotionally exhausted from the heartache that filled her threatened to tear her apart inside.

Alone, Jun felt she had no one to turn too.

She vowed not to let it defeat her- Jun knew she had made her choice, now she had to learn to live with it…

_Part 2 for this story is- 'Consequences.'_


End file.
